President

From the President August 2021

First, on behalf of the Executive Committee, we hope you have all had a good summer. Although we were not able to play together, our virtual workshops last year were very well received, and the season ended with a well-attended and entertaining virtual Tea. We were hoping that we could soon resume in-person meetings, but as of today this does not yet appear to be feasible. Therefore, for the time being we will continue with our virtual workshops, which we are sure will be as fascinating as they were last year.

Special thanks to our Program Director, Christine McClymont, for all her work in planning the program. This fall we again have an outstanding line up of workshop leaders, starting on September 12 with Francis Colpron. For a preview of the fall program, please see below.

Like all workshops for the foreseeable future, this one will be online, conducted over Zoom. Here is how it will work:

Invitation: A few days before the workshop all members of T.E.M.P.O. will receive an email invitation with a link and a password to the Zoom meeting. You do not need a Zoom account to join the workshop, but you need to have Zoom on your computer or get the Zoom app on your ipad or other tablet. We think that by now everyone has experience with Zoom (maybe more than enough!), but please write if you have questions.

Payment: Annual membership remains $75 for the year, payable by e-transfer or cheque. Those who wish can pay $35 for the 4 workshops in Fall 2021 and $40 for the 5 workshops in winter/spring 2022. Non-members can attend one workshop for free and thereafter pay $15 per workshop.

Website: When we have more information it will be posted on our website at: http://tempotoronto.net/

Preview of the program this fall:

September 12: Francis Colpron. We are very excited to start the season with a long-time TEMPO favourite, Francis Colpron, recorder and traverso player and Artistic Director and founder of Les Boréades de Montréal. Francis is recognized as one of the most talented musicians of his generation and an innovative artist and performer. He is also a gifted teacher. Details of his program will follow shortly. In the meantime, Francis has told us that his goal for the first workshop after the summer layoff is to get people playing!

October 3: Colin Savage. Another popular TEMPO coach, clarinetist and recorder player Colin Savage has been principal clarinetist with the Mississauga Symphony for 30 years, and regularly performs on recorder and historical clarinets with a wide variety of chamber and orchestral ensembles in Southern Ontario. He has toured Japan and performed several times in the Royal Opera House at Versailles with Opera Atelier, and worked with New York Collegium, Tafelmusik, Canadian Opera Company, Apollo’s Fire, Les Boréades, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Consort. He particularly enjoys playing bass clarinet with the Arctic fusion band Ensemble Polaris.

November 7: Sophie Larivière. Sophie is another TEMPO favourite coach who is based in Montréal. A devoted and talented teacher, she has been a member and co-artistic director of Ensemble Caprice since 1997. As a member of Caprice, she has played in numerous concerts in Canada, the Middle East, Europe and the USA. Much appreciated for the flowing, expressive beauty of her playing, Sophie Larivière is regularly invited to perform with many early music ensembles. She has performed under the baton of noted conductors Andrew Parrot, Christopher Jackson, and Julian Armour, and has taken part in some thirty recording projects.

December 5: Lawrence Lipnik. We are delighted to welcome back Larry Lipnik. Those who were fortunate enough to attend his workshop last October, “Musicque de joye: ‘Music of Joy’ from Renaissance France,” know what an enthusiastic and talented workshop presenter he is. Lawrence Lipnik has performed with many acclaimed early music ensembles from ARTEK and Anonymous 4 to Piffaro and the Waverly Consort, and is a founding member of the viol consort Parthenia and vocal ensemble Lionheart. He teaches recorder and viol on Amherst Early Music Online.