Chamber concert series opens with The Toronto Consort

November 4, 2015 · 0 Comments

Caledon Chamber Concerts opens its season Nov. 7 with a performance by The Toronto Consort.
The Toronto Consort is Canada’s foremost early music ensemble and consists of nine musicians who sing and play instruments, sometimes simultaneously. They will present their show Mariners and Milkmaids.
The streets and taverns of Renaissance England were full of music-making of all kinds: Catches, ballads, country dances, part-songs, etc. In this engaging and varied program, The Toronto Consort brings alive the music of the “golden age” of English music.
In the days before TV and the Internet, ballads and partsongs often told the stories of the day. Included in the program, for instance, are sea-faring adventures (a ballad about the defeat of the Spanish Armada; a partsong describing the sailor’s life), famous court trials (the conviction of the Earl of Essex for treason, the life story of a notorious thief and murderer told from the point of view of the woman who loved him) and other wonderful characters from the time (Mad Tom, the cutpurse, a country lass).
The Toronto Consort is renowned for its performances of music from Renaissance England, and this entertaining show, performed with voices, lute, recorders, harpsichord, bass viol and hurdy-gurdy, will delight all music-lovers.
The concert takes place at St. James’ Anglican Church, Caledon East at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students 16 years and younger and may be purchased in advance at Forster’s Book Garden, Howard the Butcher and BookLore. A limited number of tickets may also be available at the door the night of the concert.
For more information, call 905-880-2445. For details about the other concerts in the 2015-2016 season, go to www.caledonchamberconcerts.com