Quiet Day on the Markets
Hovhaness, Sonata (Mvt. #2)
For quite some time now I’ve imagined myself playing flute on the floor of the Toronto Stock Exchange, you know, with the sound of money-transactions over morning coffees and the opening bell in the background. I still haven’t had my chance, but with some business brewing at the Richard Ivey School, you might say that I’m getting warmer.
It turns
Union Station Fantasia
Telemann, Fantasia #3
In case you haven’t been down near Union Station recently, long awaited construction has begun in earnest.
With a much talked about makeover, the erection of some pretty impressive hoarding seems to suggest that renos on the historic site and massive transit hub are finally getting underway.
I love how the sounds of construction in the background almost breathes with the music,
Statuesque Toronto
Curly & his Bagpipes 2
I love capturing the flavour of Toronto streetscapes as you can hear in this second soundfile of street busking from the intersection of Queen & Uni during my wanders downtown the other day.
After connecting with Curly (who I am convinced is actually undercover, you know, like Huggy Bear from Starsky and Hutch) and J-walking across University back to
Busking for Change
Curly & his Persian Pipes
You know that spring is in the air when the sound of buskers can be heard on Toronto’s city street corners.
It’s actually been a kind winter for playing out on the street, and I have regularly heard the sound of Curly’s masterful piping almost weekly these past few months. One of his fav haunts is just across from
The Puck Drops @ 7.30!
handel-trio-3 Handel Trio Sonata, Allegro
Forget the Olympics, Urban Flute Ensemble performs tonight at 7.30 pm!
In an ongoing series of monthly concerts in partnership with historic St. Anne’s, Urban Flute Ensemble (UFE) is delighted to present an eclectic program of Borodin, Bach, Mozart, Sigurbjornsson and Joplin, along with an improv session with our guest Saxophonist, Darren Moore.
For detailed info and directions, check out
In the Queen’s Chambers
Duo for Violin & Flute
Welcome to the Royal Suite located high in Toronto’s venerable Royal York Hotel.
Recently I received a welcome invitation to provide some background music for an intimate reception organized by the St. Georges Society of Toronto, Canada’s oldest charitable organization.
I was excited to learn that not only was the event to be held in the historic Royal York,
Heavenly Music @ University of Toronto
Urban Flute Ensemble plays tonight at the University of Toronto’s Open Telescopes, free to the general public.
Here’s the info:
Hello Astronomy Enthusiasts!
We’re back for 2010 and bigger than ever! Two items for you today:
1. ASX Symposium
2. February’s Department of Astronomy FREE Public Tour
1. ASX SYMPOSIUM
The U of T Astronomy and Space Exploration (ASX) Society is having their annual symposium TOMORROW. It promises to be a
Bull’s-Eye for Bouillabaisse
From the outside, I have to admit that this sports dome looked rather unremarkable; however as I entered through the air-sealed revolving doors, my 7-iron in hand, and walked out onto the lush astroturf, I was immediately captivated and felt like I had discovered a Garden of Eden or some forgotten, urban Paradise!
Urban Flute Project from the outset
Serenade Under Pottery Road Bridge
Pottery Road Serenade
Yes, believe it or not, this is a picture I took in downtown Toronto, just up along Bayview Avenue from the fabulous Evergreen transformation of the historic Brick Works site.
With the incessant sound of traffic swirling overhead, I recently recorded in one of my favorite spots in the city, playing my flute under the Pottery Road Bridge
Grease Monkey in Queensville
Melancolique, Laszlo Lajtha
Prepare yourself for a sonic feast here. Not the first time I’ve recorded in an automotive shop, the nuance of extraneous sounds that accompany this exquisite flute solo by Laszlo Lajtha appears almost orchestrated at times, and in this regard is truly mystifying - the layers of sound are even stunning, especially towards the end.
My friend Johanness has
Classic Infiltration: Insane Acoustics
Caprice en Gigue, Bodinus
Talk about your classic urban infiltration, here’s the third of three recordings from the hauntingly deserted Downsview hangars. Once again, my thanks to ArcticLamb for the terrific photos (while my camera is in for repairs) as well as for his camaraderie and shared sense of adventure! While AL snapped away, I set up to record with my flute, all
There’ll Be Bluebirds Over…The Hangars of Downsview
White Cliffs of Dover
Here’s another recording from my recent adventure in the mothballed Downsview Hangars, with a pic courtesy of ArcticLamb. One of my favourite songs, (There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover seemed the perfect piece to send discreetly echoing through the massive interior, especially given that this evocative war-song is of the same vintage as