Classical music: New offerings at Vancouver's The Annex top the season
With many of our classical presenters' series winding down or even over, next month is notable for intriguing explorations, transitions, and grand finales.
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For example, aficionados of new music can sample a bumper crop of events at The Annex, that useful and adaptive space tucked in behind the Orpheum on Seymour Street.
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When: May 17, 7:30 p.m.
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Where: The Annex, 823 Seymour St.
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Vancouver boasts several gamelan ensembles. Three of them — Gamelan Bike Bike, Gita Asmara, and Kembang Telang — will be on show in a mid-month concert presenting a mixture of traditional Indonesian repertoire and new works.
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When: May 24, 7:30 p.m.; May 25, 2:30 p.m.
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Where: The Annex, 823 Seymour St.
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Info: turningpointensemble.ca/
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One of the great figures in contemporary composition, Kaija Saariaho, died two years ago. The Turning Point Ensemble offers a timely portrait of the Finnish master. The highlight of the program is her Notes on Light, a 2007 commission by the illustrious Boston Symphony. For this performance, cellist Isidora Nojkovic is featured with an ensemble of 19 musicians. Rounding out the program are Semafor for eight instruments and vocal works sung by Robyn Driedger-Klassen with instrumental backup.
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When: May 3, 7:30 p.m.
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Where: The Annex, 823 Seymour St.
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Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Vancouver Sun
Concert review: Paul Simon brings A Quiet Celebration to the Orpheum Theatre
Paul Simon brought the A Quiet Celebration tour to the Orpheum for the first of three concerts last night and it wasn't that quiet. The first of many standing ovations came before a single note had been played when the singer strode on stage. Many more followed in the lengthy set, which packaged the whole of his new album Seven Psalms alongside hits and his selected deep cuts in the second half. The entire evening was a triumphant return to live performance after the combination of hearing loss and severe back pain looked likely to end the 83-year-old music legend's performing career. Instead, Simon released his new record, a critically-acclaimed orchestral song cycle exploring life, love and the eternally shifting nature of faith and took it on the road his way. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. That is with absolute class. While uneven, the show was a study in respect for musical craft and honesty in presentation. Backed by his truly exceptional 10-piece band with additional vocals from his wife Edie Brickell, Simon explored his latest record and lengthy back catalogue with a sense of adventure and a willingness to face up to the inevitable effects of passing years on his voice. He can still turn a tune with style, but the song choices reflected material that could be reimagined in a more forgiving manner to both his present projection and range. Frankly, it was a master class in how to do it right, with a lot the new arrangements bringing elements to past classics that weren't obvious before. A prime example of this was Graceland, which opened the second half of the night. Toning down the song's upbeat groove into a far more Austin City Limits shuffle let guitarists Gyan Riley and Mark Stewart have a blast twanging back and forth. The Late Great Johnny Ace turned into a blues groover that the flute, viola and cello could swing into with sax backing from the two keyboardists. Marimbas, gongs, harmonium, grand piano and glass bells that looked like someone snagged a bunch of clear hair dryers from a sixties beauty parlour packed the stage. Everything was played. The instrumentation was always surprising and perfectly suited to the material Having legendary drummer Steve Gadd behind the kit added that little bit extra on 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. While Miley Cyrus may have made that song her own on the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, having the tune's original drummer driving the beat was a treat. So was the presence of Bakithi Kumalo on bass. The sole surviving member of the original Graceland band held down the bottom end with fluid playing and some sweet vocal percussion along the way. Seven Psalms was clearly the work Simon was more interested in performing, which makes complete sense when you consider how many times he has performed Homeward Bound or America over the decades. The new songs are deeply introspective and so meticulously rendered that Simon was occasionally conducting the band along the way. That made sense. Songs such as Your Forgiveness contain passages where one bar of organ would quickly shift to a flute note, quick pizzicato run on the viola and a sudden percussion explosion. It was taut and beautiful and a million miles away from most contemporary digital auto-tuned, computerized live presentations. Doubtless, many were less pleased with the deeper cuts such as Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War and St. Judy's Comet taking up space where Cecilia or Kodachrome could have been. But it's worth considering that his selection of his more non-singalong songs was deliberate to avoid the crowd confusing his hearing. While Simon can obviously play what he wants, The Only Living Boy in New York or the Afterlife would have been better than the fairly weak Spirit Voices or Father and Daughter. To each their own. Either way, everyone got to belt it out for Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard and the Boxer. The closing solo take on the Sound of Silence was a beautiful finish. As previously noted, Paul Simon is a class act. Tickets for the two remaining Orpheum concerts are available at . The legendary singer has been performing the whole new album Seven Psalms as well as a career-spanning set of songs. Here is the set list from night one in Vancouver: Seven Psalms The Lord Love Is Like A Braid My Professional Opinion Your Forgiveness Trail of Volcanoes The Sacred Harp (with Edie Brickell) Wait (with Edie Brickell) Hits and Deep Cuts America (Simon & Garfunkel song) Graceland Slip Slidin' Away Train in the Distance Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkel song) (With teases of 'I am a Rock' and 'The Sound of Silence') The Late Great Johnny Ace St. Judy's Comet Under African Skies (with Edie Brickell) Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War Rewrite Spirit Voices Mother and Child Reunion Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (with Edie Brickell) 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel song) The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel song) (solo without band) sderdeyn@ Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances.
Winnipeg Free Press
15-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
A rap festival near the Arctic Ocean delights crowds under the midnight sun
UTSJOKI, Finland (AP) — It was well past midnight when Mihkku Laiti appeared on stage to perform at an open-air music festival in the Finnish village of Utsjoki, north of the Arctic circle. Despite the time, Lapland's famous midnight sun was still up. During the summer months the sun doesn't go down at all in Utsjoki, which is less than 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Arctic Ocean. In the glow of blue spotlights, Laiti rapped while a crowd of more than 300 listened, some of them singing along and dancing. Like the majority of Utsjoki's residents, Laiti is a member of the Sámi — Europe's only recognized Indigenous people — and he rapped in his native Sámi language. Laiti, also known by his stage name 'Yungmiqu,' is the founder of the Loktafeasta rap festival. He first found fame on the television show Talent Finland, where he surprised the judges by rapping in the gákti, the traditional dress of the Sámi. It is brightly colored and often characterized by plaits, pewter embroidery and a high collar. The festival brought Laiti's Indigenous culture to the spotlight, though some of his fans could not understand what he was saying. That didn't seem to bother anyone at the Loktafeasta as the festival mixed performances from artists in both Sámi language and Finnish. Some drank beer and ate sausages and the crowd seemed to enjoy the summer festival atmosphere despite spells of rain. 'When I rap about my culture … I want to show how being Sámi is like from my point of view,' Laiti told The Associated Press. 'Because there are many stereotypes about Sámi people and I want to like normalize … the basic stuff we do and not romanticize those things,' he said. He added that he has not worn the gákti for performances for about a year now to show people that it is possible to be Sámi and wear whatever you want. Europe's only recognized indigenous people The Sámi traditionally live in Lapland, which stretches from northern parts of Norway to Sweden and Finland to Russia. However, of the roughly 10,000 Sámi people living in Finland, the majority now live outside their homeland. The Sámi people were oppressed for centuries by the powers that ruled and exploited their lands, including bans of the use of their native tongues and efforts to suppress their culture. In the past decades, there have been efforts to reestablish their rights, including the right to use Sámi languages which is now guaranteed in the Finnish constitution. Today, the historically semi-nomadic Sámi people have modern lifestyles. The few who still tend reindeer do so with modern vehicles, digital tools and regulated land use. However, there is an effort to preserve the Sámi's cultural identity. Distinctive Sámi clothing was worn by many at Loktafeasta, as is typical on special occasions. Artists rap in Finnish and Sámi language At the festival, Laiti mostly wanted his fans to be happy and enjoy the music. 'I want people to feel joy, of course, and I just want people to be happy that we have this kind of festival here in Utsjoki,' he said with a smile. Among the other acts was a duo comprised of self-confessed old school tango crooner Jaakko Laitinen and rapper Jouni J. They also reside in Lapland and perform in Finnish. 'I see a connection from the hip hop and the tinkering with words to the old Finnish like Kalevala freestyling folk poetry,' said Laitinen, referring to Finland's national epic about the Earth's creation. 'So that obvious connection and the Finnish tango … is part of our soul and heart,' he added. A world away from the birthplace of rap music in the Bronx Although the duo's songs were a world away from the birthplace of rap music in the Bronx in New York City, their performance brought joy to Utsjoki's locals and visitors. 'Music travels and music brings people together. It's the magic of the international language of music,' Laitinen said.
Ottawa Citizen
04-06-2025
- Ottawa Citizen
'Our best game by far' against Charlotte not enough as Laval Rocket swept from Eastern Conference final
Article content After finishing first overall in the AHL this season, the Laval Rocket entered the playoffs like lions. Article content Following an opening-round bye, Laval won the first two games at Cleveland before defeating the Monsters in four games. And while the Rocket required the maximum five contests, it still outlasted Rochester in the North Division final. Article content But Laval exited the post-season like lambs, swept by the vastly superior Charlotte Checkers in the Eastern Conference final. The last blow came Tuesday night, with Charlotte edging the visiting Rocket 3-2 before 7,317 spectators at Bojangles Coliseum. Article content While it was Laval's most competitive game of the series, it nonetheless found a new way to lose, squandering a 2-0 lead. Article content With the teams apparently headed to overtime for the first time in the series, Jesse Puljujarvi scored the winning goal with 2:03 remaining in regulation time. Article content THE GOAL THAT SENT US TO THE FINALS — Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) June 4, 2025 Article content There appeared to be indecision on the play between defenceman Zack Hayes and rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler, making his first start against the Checkers after Cayden Primeau was removed in the second period of each of the last two games. Article content Article content Fowler hesitated coming out of his net in an attempt to clear the puck, forcing Hayes to make an errant dive. The puck went directly onto Puljujarvi's stick. With Fowler now far removed from his crease, Puljujarvi scored easily into the empty net for his second goal of the playoffs. Article content 'It really hurts to give up that one,' Fowler told the media in Charlotte. 'The boys played so good in front of me all night. It was just one of those plays. We knew it was going to be a sloppy break like that. I have to make the read off him. When you want to get back in the series that's something I've got to be better on, learn from it and hopefully not make that mistake again. Article content 'It hurts to lose but I'm really proud to have been a small impact on this group,' added Fowler, a late-season addition from Boston College. 'Being down 3-0 on the road, it's hard. We were 2½ minutes away from maybe going to overtime or scoring late. I wish I could have given them a better last 2½ minutes.' Article content Puljujarvi, selected fourth overall by Edmonton in 2016, has 387 NHL games to his credit between the Oilers, Carolina, Pittsburgh and Florida. The Finnish winger played 31 games in the NHL this season, including 26 with the Penguins. Article content It was Charlotte's eighth consecutive playoff victory, while Laval limped to the finish line with a 2-6 record in its last eight playoff games and 6-7 overall. Article content Laval played a strong first period and had a 6-3 edge in shots through 10 minutes. The visitors nearly took the lead in the 13th minute, while short-handed. For the second consecutive game, Alex Barré-Boulet had a breakaway. And for the second consecutive game, he couldn't beat goalie Kaapo Kahkonen.
