Concert

The Happenstancers is the shared vision of co-directors Brad Cherwin and Brenna Hardy-Kavanagh. Described as “Toronto’s best young chamber musicians” (Bachtrack) and recipients of the 2019 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance of an Ensemble in an Opera, Cherwin and Hardy-Kavanagh helm a rotating cast of innovative voices on Toronto’s classical scene. Their daring concert program PHASES leaps between centuries and styles, moods and colours, as works by Augusta Reed Thomas, Bram Van Camp, Mozart, and Beethoven conjure vibrant and varied personalities. Learn more at thehappenstancers.com.

Spirits is piano/percussion duo SHHH!! Ensemble’s most ambitious project to date. Diversely inspired by composers reflections on the beyond, the nature of creativity, whiskey, and more, Spirits features the world premiere of a new work by John Gordon Armstrong. The programme also features pieces by Andy Akiho, Micheline Roi, Kevin Hanlon, Kelly-Marie Murphy, and John Beckwith.

  Bass Daniel Lichti, tenor James McLean, and pianist Anna Ronai are well known to local audiences.  Their program includes duets by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Balfe and Rossini.

Ralf Buschmeyer celebrates his return to Ontario with friends new and old. Michael Wood is a Stratford vibes player Ralf worked with while a faculty member of Ambrose University Calgary. Over the past few years, Michael and Ralf have played together frequently and have developed a sound inspired by the great Gary Burton Quartets. Clark Johnston is an old school chum of Ralf’s, both having graduated from Hamilton’s Mohawk College Applied Music program in the 90’s. 

The concert will be a mix of original material, Jazz Standards with new arrangements and classic Jazz-Vibes repertoire. 

• Ralf Buschmeyer, Guitar
• Michael Wood, Vibraphone
• Clark Johnston, Upright Bass

Dr. Darryl Friesen has been praised for his “rich palette of tonal colour” and performances of “intimate, poignant simplicity” (Winnipeg Free Press, 2008).