February 19, 2010: It seems that this season's programmes are quite challenging for the performers. But the Bach's programme was probably challenging for the audience as well - it's such a condensed and sophisticated music. However the concert went very well and everybody were very happy after the performance (click here to read the review). Here are some pictures from that night - my introduction befour the performance and the bow right after.
February 11, 2010: Good news - the WholeNote magazine published an article about our February 13 concert! To see it click here.
December 01, 2009: We had such a good performance on November 21st! Everybody played so beautifully and after the concert I hear many wonderful compliments about the programme and the performance. People were commenting on it for days – here’s just one example (click here). After the concert I realized how exhausting it was to perform this music, and how hard in fact everybody had been working to make it sound so effortless, light and graceful. Great job everyone!
November 12, 2009: Even though last week we had a setback (musicians being sick with the flu), we continue to work on our programme to make it sound really beautiful. Here we are practicing at Sharon's place. It looks like her dog likes it very much (right bottom corner).
October 28, 2009: It's been a while since I've posted any news on the BLOG. Well, it was a busy time. And it still is, since our first concert of the season is coming up in three weeks and a lot of things need to be taken care. And of course practi-zing, practi-zing, practi-zing... Here we are, Tony and me working on our Duo by Nicolas Dalayrac (1753-1809).
June 01, 2009: Here we are - my dear friend and me. Probably many of you will recognize Sergei Istomin. He is a founding member of the Academy Concert Series, and together with my other dear friend Viviana Sofronitzki for many years he was organizing concerts and performing in the Series. Now he lives in France and it was great to see him in Toronto last week.
I’m hoping that in our 20th season (2010/2011) he will be able to perform again in the Academy Concert Series.
May 03, 2009: Wow! Last concert was the best and it's not just me saying that. Everybody, who I was talking after the concert were saying the same - it was awesome, the best programme and the best performance ever! That's so nice to hear. Thanks to musicians for the great work and everybody for the support.
Here is an example what people say about the concert : "Hi Nicolai....just a quick note about Saturday's concert. We have been going for 3 years now and personally I found the performance on Saturday was just amazing...By far the best I've heard... Your piece in the 1st set was great...I really enjoyed the sense of space and time in the pieces. I could go on but I'll stop by saying...keep up the fantastic work...it is truly enjoyed... "
a loyal fan
Dave Calder
little talk before the performance...
a bow after... hmm, not very coordinated... but the performance was much better...
a chat after...
April 09, 2009: Our concert with Greek music is getting close and close. It's such an exiting programme that we are trying to play this music as much as we can. And more we are playing more beauty we are discovering in it. I think I never play so much in 7/8 all my life (Ta-ta-ta-Ta-ta-Ta-ta)! This is me and Alexander working on some Greek dances. You can see by the expression of our faces that it's for sure in 7/8 (lol).
February 18, 2009: It was so much fun to play Hendel's programme! Great music, brilliant performers and exceptionally sympathetic audience. "The Handel Trio Sonatas concert this past Saturday was so enjoyable" and "really excellent" are just a few feedbacks that I received after this performance.
Here are some images from this event. The speech...
the performance...
and right after...
January 16, 2009: Greetings Classical Music fans. Happy New Year from the Academy Concert Series! After the break we are working on our next programme on February 7th. Here are Paul, Rona and Laura working on Handel's sonatas.
November 20, 2008: Our November 1st concert was a real success! We've received numerous compliments from the members of the audience after that performance. For days, people were speaking very highly about the concert, talking to me by phone (last call from one of our listeners with very positive comments I received today, almost three weeks after the performance!) or via email. One of the subscribers told me: "I had a ticket but couldn't go, so I gave it to my friend. My friend was so impressed after the concert and was saying so many wonderful things that I'm very jealous now. For sure I will be at the February concert!" It's very encouraging and many thanks to everybody.
during the performance...
and in the intermission...
October 24, 2008 It is only one week left to our first concert. We are practicing, and look - here is Mozart supervising from the wall how Rona and Sharon playing his sonata in D Major KV 306.
September 27, 2008: It looks like our website is working just fine and we are getting new subscriptions for the season via PayPal. Now I would like to let you know that next Sunday, October the 5th at 3:00 pm I will be performing with my good friends the Windermere String Quartet. It will be the opening of their new season at St. Olave's Anglican Church (360 Windermere Avenue at Bloor Street) with a concert featuring two works that represent the mature flowering of composers who died too soon: Mozart's Clarinet Quintet and Schubert's Quartet in G, D887. It's a great music and guys are exceptionally good. Tickets for the concert can be purchased online at http://windermerestringquartet.com. or call 416-769-7054. And here's the picture how we are practicing to this performance. You can't really see me or Laura with her cello very well but you can see one of the Rona's dogs listening to the music.
August 25, 2008: The summer break is almost over, we are testing our website. Hope you like it.
May 14, 2008: Finally, here is the new information. We had an outstanding concert on the April 19th. The performance was excellent, we had a good size crowd and the best part of it was to see very enthusiastic faces after the performance. We've got a lot of compliments and people are still commenting on this performance. Here are some fun moments during the evening.
oops, looks like boys had it enough...
talking to our sound engineer, Paul Storus...
a moment befour...
...I'm ready...
GO!!!
April 01, 2008: It's not a joke - we are working on the last programme. Here we are practising today. Maybe it's not the best shot but it definitely captured the moment.
February 29, 2008: I'm so happy to report that our Mozart's concert was a real success! We had a good, enthusiastic crowd and everybody sounded fabulous. It was so nice to finally perform this music the way it intended to sound - on original instruments and with awesome solo voices.
three horns...
and tutti...
Now I can tell everybody that this performance was almost cancelled. A day befour the concert, because of the very bad, icy condition Toronto's streets, Colin fell down on his hand and broke a bone in his right palm. You can imagine the situation! Regardless, Colin decided to proceed with the performance. Obviously he was in a lot of pain but heroically performed the concert and played beautifully. You can only admire his enthusiasm and determination. Now he has a cast on his hand and won't be able to play for a few weeks. We all are wishing him a speedy recovery.
February 12, 2008: It's not every day that you can have three Basset Horns playing together - here we are, practising for the Mozart's programme (from left to right - Steven, me and Colin). And it's sounds like magic!
February 03, 2008: Last Thursday we got together with Alexander Kats to look at the French programme, the last one of the season. It’s going to be in April but some of the pieces are challenging musically (there are some technical difficulties too of course) and so we decided to start earlier. We spent most of the time playing music by Georges Auric (Imaginée III) and Francis Poulenc (Clarinet Sonata) and tried some Milhaud. What gorgeous music! We both felt that it won’t be easy to perform it in the proper style – energetic but very elegant, dramatic but tasteful, without going overboard. Here are Alexander and I playing that day at his place.
Alexander and me.
January 30, 2008:
Well it's time to work on the next concert. Actually we already started couple of weeks ago. We had a tutti rehearsal for the Mozart's Notturni and it sounded great. Here is me looking on my horn - is everything OK? Unfortunately, I had a crack on the curved part of the instrument but Steve Fox managed to fix it so it's working well now.
January 23, 2008: The night of the concert was a cold night in Toronto, but it didn't stop many people from attending our Mendelssohn's programme. And everyone who came was definitely rewarded by the fabulous performances. I saw so many happy faces and heard a lot of compliments. Thanks everybody!
waiting for the audience...
the performance...
January 17, 2008: Time is going fast. It's already our second programme of the season! Musicians are working hard practising (I was not able to obtain a picture of a rehearsal, sorry) and it's going to be a great performance. Since I'm not playing, in my spare time I'm doing some extra advertising.
December 05, 2007: Congratulations to all performers and members of the audience at our November 17th, 2007 Vivaldi concert! I'm thrilled to announce that the December issue of the influential Toronto music magazine, "WholeNote", has named the concert a highlight of recent period-instrument performances in Toronto. This is very good news, and we aim to keep our concerts at the same level of recognition in the future.
November 17th, 2007 Vivaldi concert
Other interesting news is that on Wednesday, December 12th from 10:00-11:00 pm I will be giving a live interview to Radio Plus (station 1430 AM) - a late-night Toronto radio talk show aired in the Russian language. I will be talking about the Academy Concert Series, our history and plans, and will also playing some recordings from our previous concerts. You can listen to it live online at www.radioplus.ca Wish me luck!November 23, 2007: It is almost a week since our opening night. I'm very glad to tell you that it was a very good concert, many people attended and we had one of the biggest audiences ever. After the performance I heard a lot of good comments. Here are some of the pictures that were taken that night.
our patrons arriving...
during the performance...
November 16, 2007: Well, everything is ready to roll for the concert! Here is the organ ready to be moved in to the church. I'm getting today a lot of phone calls from people wanting to reserve tickets to the show so I'm' hoping it's going to be a good crowd on Saturday.
November 13, 2007: Here are some pictures from yesterday. If you have any comments, please send them via email - I'm trying to create more interactive page but it's not set up yet.
You can see everybody is working very hard - Rona, Paul and Laura (obviously, I'm taking the pictures and that's hard too...)
November 11, 2007: It's something new. Well, it is supposed to be a diary of some sort, I guess. I will keep everybody informed about how things are going with the preparations for the concerts. Tomorrow Rona, Paul, Laura and I are getting together at 10 am at Paul's place to work on Vivaldi programme. I will take my camera and try to make some pictures. Later I will post them here.
All concerts take place on Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m. at the Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth Ave., Toronto (just west of Chester subway station). Doors open at 7:30 p.m. on the night of each performance. Single Ticket Prices are: $17 (regular) $11 (seniors 65+/students). Subscribers save 20% -- See all three concerts for only $39 (regular) or $24 (senior/student).
Tickets are available at our on-line Box Office , by mail order or at the door.
Artistic Director: Nicolai Tarasov nicolai@academyconcertseries.com
Phone: 416-927-9089/ cell: 416-706-1089
Mailing address: Academy Concert Series
403-135 Rose Avenue
Toronto, ON
Canada
M4X 1P1
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