U of T Symphony Season Finale

Ivars Taurins conducts U of T Symphony Orchestra in season finale

TORONTO ’Äì On Thursday, April 9, 2009, the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents the last concert of the season. Conducted by Ivars Taurins, the program includes Giovanni Gabrieli’Äôs Canzon primi toni a 8 (from Sacrae Symphoniae 1597), Beethoven’Äôs Symphony No. 2 in D major and Tchaikovsky’Äôs Symphony No. 5. The concert takes place at 7:30 pm at MacMillan Theatre in the Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’Äôs Park. Tickets ($18 adults and $10 seniors/students) can be purchased at the Faculty of Music box office in person or by calling 416-978-3744.

Ivars Taurins conducts symphonic and choral repertoire with equal expertise. Founder and director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir since 1981, he was also principal violist of the Tafelmusik Orchestra for its first 23 years. Under his direction the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir has been widely praised for its clarity and brilliance, and in 1991 was awarded the Canada Council's Healey Willan Prize “Äåin recognition of the consistently high level of achievement by the choir and its unique contribution to choral art in Canada.“Äç
A passionate lecturer and teacher, Mr. Taurins teaches conducting and baroque ensembles at the University of Toronto. He is in demand as a guest lecturer, adjudicator and clinician. He was guest lecturer at Podium 2000, the conference of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors. He has been a guest teacher at the Universitˆ© de Sherbrooke in Quebec, the University of Western Ontario, the University of Alberta, and at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. Mr. Taurins is director of the vocal/choral programme at the annual Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute.

Part of Canada’Äôs top university, the University of Toronto Faculty of Music has an illustrious history as one of North America’Äôs leading centres for the scholarly and professional study of music, offering a rich array of degree and diploma programs from the undergraduate to post-graduate levels. Many of this country’Äôs greatest musicians such as John Weinzweig, Lois Marshall, Elmer Iseler, Adrienne Pieczonka, Russell Braun, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet have studied or taught at the Faculty. With over 100 events featuring students, faculty and distinguished guests, the Faculty’Äôs performance season embodies its commitment to an education that champions diversity, depth and explorations. Highlights of the 2008-09 season include cellists Steven Isserlis and Shauna Rolston, baritone Sherrill Milnes, composer Maria Schneider, conductors David Briskin and Miah Im, jazz great Phil Nimmons, the Mirˆ„, and St. Lawrence String Quartets, the Gryphon Trio and Nexus.

For more information on this or other Faculty of Music concert series, please visit our website at www.music.utoronto.ca or contact the Box Office at 416-978-3744.

Ticket sales and general inquiries:
Faculty of Music Box Office
Hours: 1 ’Äì 7 pm, Monday to Friday, with extended hours on performance nights.
Phone: 416-978-3744
Address: Lobby level, Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’Äôs Park, Toronto ON M5S 2C5