Editorial

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With the onset of the warm summer months come plans for vacations and excursions. What better way to spend those lazy sunny days than to combine fresh outdoor air with beautiful tunes offered by the country’s many music festivals.

For the eleventh straight year, our music publications, La Scena Musicale and The Music Scene, two of Canada's most wide-reaching and well-respected classical music and jazz magazines, will once again celebrate the summer season in music. With over 200 music festivals available across the country, we have decided that for the first time ever, our festival coverage will be divided into two parts. Our annual national focus on over 120 Canadian jazz, world and folk music festivals (plus twelve of the earlier classical music festivals) will be included in the May issue while our June national issue will be dedicated to over 85 classical music festivals.

May is also our special jazz issue, and jazz editor Marc Chénard serves up the ever-opinionated Branford Marsalis who extols the virtues of classical music, and the legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins who is living proof that age sets no limits. Paul Serralheiro covers the jazz festival scene, world music editor Bruno Deschenes zones in on three top world music fests while assistant editor Réjean Beaucage explores the festival at Victoriaville and recalls words from the eclectic Anthony Braxton.

Opera lovers will enjoy Joseph So’s report on the career of Canadian mezzo Judith Forst who undertakes the role of judge at the upcoming Montreal International Music Competition. Kate Molleson delves into the Don Juan legend and reminds us of the perpetual controversy that surrounds it. Our series on music and hearing by Dr. Marshall Chasin concludes with a look at the effect of hearing aids on musical enjoyment. Finally, our panel consisting of Joseph So, Richard Turp and Stéphane Villemin discussses favourite mothers in opera, quite apropos for Mother’s Day.

Watch for our June national issue when we turn our attention to classical music festivals.

As you make your summer plans, why not fit in a concert or two.

Until then, a very Happy Mother’s Day to the hardest-working women in the world!