The Royal Conservatory Announces December & January Concerts

If you are already dreading the hustle of the upcoming holidays, The Royal Conservatory of Music is the perfect place to relax and gather strength for the holidays as well as to de-stress in the New Year. There is variety of concerts to choose from in December and January, either for yourself or to give as presents: Tallis Scholars offer a concert of Christmas music; birthdays of Oscar Peterson, Frank Sinatra, and Yehudi Menuhin are celebrated; and one can bring their entire family to the first performance of the Family Concerts series, Routes of Andalucia.

For that hard-to-please person, The Conservatory offers gift cards in any denomination, which can be redeemed for concert tickets programmed by The Royal Conservatory. The cards can also be reloaded in any denomination and can be purchased in person at the Weston Family Box Office, by phone at 416.408.0208, or by visiting http://performance.rcmusic.ca/tickets-and-packages/gift-cards. Gift Card services are donated by Givex, a global provider of stored value technology, loyalty programs, and e-coupons.

Holiday Concert

The Tallis Scholars, called "the rock stars of Renaissance vocal music" by The New York Times, return to Koerner Hall after their sold-out concerts in 2009 and 2011, to perform a holiday season concert on December 13. Known around the world as the leading exponents of Renaissance sacred music, the group is led by founder and director Peter Phillips. "Anyone familiar with Renaissance music knows that this group has attained superstardom among its ilk." (The Boston Globe)

Special Anniversary Concerts

Celebrated Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson's 90th birthday will be celebrated with a special concert, titled Oscar @ 90, on December 11. The concert will also launch the new Oscar, With Love CD, recorded by some of the best pianists in Canada and around the globe on Oscar's own piano. Pianist Kenny Barron,

Robi Botos, Bill Charlap, Gerald Clayton, Benny Green, Oliver Jones, and Renee Rosnes will reunite with Oscar's Bösendorfer Imperial piano, which is being transported to The Royal Conservatory for this special concert. They will be joined by Dave Young on bass.

CBC's Tom Allen hosts the all-Canadian tribute to Frank Sinatra in Sinatra @ 100, on the day of his 100th birthday, as pianist and Music Director of the evening, Joe Sealy, leads an all-star band consisting of Jason Logue (trumpet), John Johnson (saxophone), Russ Little (trombone), Ted Quinlan (guitar), Paul Novotny (bass), and Daniel Barnes (drums). ''Come Fly with Us' on December 12 with guest singers Brent Carver, Barbra Lica, Jackie Richardson, Retrocity, and introducing Matt Forbes and Justin Bacchus, in this celebration of Sinatra's life and legacy.

"Adventurous and brilliant" (The New York Times) violinist Daniel Hope was only 11 when he was invited by Yehudi Menuhin to play Bartók duos with him on German television. This launched a long artistic partnership, consisting of over 60 concerts together, including Menuhin's final appearance on

March 7, 1999, in which he conducted Hope's performance of Alfred Schnittke's Violin Concerto. On January 28, Hope honours his mentor with Daniel Hope: Yehudi Menuhin @ 100, by performing Menuhin's signature pieces, including works by Bach, Enescu, Mendelssohn, Walton, Ravel, and Bartók.

Family Concerts

The first performance of the Family Concerts series, Routes of Andalucia, on December 5, follows Juno Award-winning trumpeter David Buchbinder, dynamic divas Roula Said and Tamar Ilana, and their crew of cross-cultural musicians on a journey into the magic musical realm of ancient Andalucia, where Arabic, Jewish, and Gypsy cultures connect to each other. These "grown-up" concerts for younger audiences (and their parents, grandparents, and friends) offer an enlightening and entertaining experience of different genres of music. Family Concerts are approximately 75 minutes long with no intermission.

Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage

After the first two sold out concerts of the series, which celebrates brilliant ladies whose voices demand attention, Lisa Fischer is also tracking a sellout date on January 29. A star of the Oscar-winning documentary film 20 Feet from Stardom, Fischer's name may not be on the marquee when she's on tour with The Rolling Stones, Sting, or Nine Inch Nails, but her astonishing range, her precise pitch, her mastery of the stage, and her vocal tone wraps itself around your heart and will not let go. Now, after many years in the background, she steps out front to lead her own band.

Music Mix

Maple Blues Awards, the annual all-star concert, awards event, and after party take place on January 18. This year marks the 7th season that the Awards will be held in Koerner Hall, celebrating their 30th anniversary. The host, nominees, and performers will be announced shortly.

Presented in partnership with the Songwriters Association of Canada, top Canadian songwriters come together with host Blair Packham to perform their music and tell us about their inspiration, the songwriting process, and the stories behind the songs in the seventh season of Bluebird North concerts. The December 5 evening will feature SCOTT (Scott Moffatt of the multi-platinum 90s band The Moffatts), with more exciting artists being announced soon.

Classical Music

The second concert of the Invesco Piano Concerts series features Jan Lisiecki and has been sold out for months. Lisiecki signed an exclusive recording agreement with Deutsche Grammophon at the age of 15, and in 2013 was nominated for a Juno Award for classical album of the year as well as named the Gramophone Young Artist of the Year. He is an alumnus of The Conservatory's Glenn Gould School and his many prestigious awards include the Ihnatowycz Prize in Piano from The GGS. His program on December 6 includes works by Chopin, Mozart, Liszt, and Mendelssohn.

Internationally acclaimed Lithuanian cellist and conductor, David Geringas, is known for "his rich tone and performing intensity." (The Washington Post) The program for his Mazzoleni Masters concert on January 31 includes Corigliano's Fancy on a Bach Air, Bach's Prelude in G Major, and a set of solo works as 'Hommage to Rostropovich' by Penderecki, Kancheli, and Bach. He is joined by guest faculty and students in Couperin's Pièces en concert for cello and strings and Senderovas's David's Song.

Two concerts that are part of the AIMIA Discovery Series will take place in January. Toronto Symphony Orchestra Principal Clarinet and Royal Conservatory Orchestra Resident Conductor, Joaquin Valdepeñas, conducts Glenn Gould School students on January 26 in a program of chamber works, including Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta. On January 30, The Glenn Gould School Vocal Showcase provides a wonderful opportunity to see The GGS's talented voice students present an evening of art songs and opera excerpts.

Finally, string students from The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists will come together as the Academy Chamber Orchestra to perform a special concert on December 12.

The Royal Conservatory's 2015-16 concert season is made possible through the generous support of:

Major and Series Sponsors and Supporters: AIMIA, BMO, Invesco, RBC Foundation, TD Bank Group, David G. Broadhurst, Leslie & Anna Dan, Michael & Sonja Koerner, a gift In honour of R.S. Williams & Sons Company Ltd., the Rebanks Family, The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, and two anonymous donors

Performance Sponsors and Supporters: Mohammad & Najla Al Zaibak, Alexanian Flooring, Bösendorfer, CIBC, Downtown Porsche, Georgian Capital, Michael Foulkes & Linda Brennan, Ian Ihnatowycz & Marta Witer, Brayton Polka, Deborah Leibow & Ken Snider

Wine & Beverage Sponsors: Blackstone, Vintage Ink, Mill St. Brewery, Acqua Panna & S. Pellegrino

Media Sponsors: Classical 96.3 FM, JAZZ.FM91, NOW, WholeNote, Musicworks

Government Supporters: Canada Arts Presentation Fund-Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council

December & January Concerts at The Royal Conservatory of Music

Routes of Andalucia (Family Concerts): Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 2pm | KH; $25-$35

Bluebird North (Music Mix): Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 8pm | CT; $25

Jan Lisiecki (Invesco Piano Concerts):

Sunday, December 6, 2015 at 3pm | KH; SOLD OUT! BMO Rush Tickets will be available.

Oscar @ 90 (Music Mix): Friday, December 11, 2015 at 8pm | KH; $40-$85

Academy Chamber Orchestra (The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists):

Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 7:30pm | MCH; Free (Ticket Required)

Sinatra @ 100 (Music Mix): Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 8pm | KH; $40-$95

The Tallis Scholars (Vocal Concerts): Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 3pm | KH; $40-$90

Maple Blues Awards (Music Mix): Monday, January 18, 2016 at 7pm | KH; $28-$75

Joaquin Valdepeñas Conducts (AIMIA Discovery Series):

Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 7:30pm | MCH; $15

Daniel Hope: Yehudi Menuhin @ 100 (String Concerts):

Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 8pm | KH; $35-$75

Lisa Fischer (Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage): Friday, January 29, 2016 at 8pm | KH; $40-$85

The Glenn Gould School Vocal Showcase (AIMIA Discovery Series):

Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 7:30pm | MCH; $15

David Geringas (Mazzoleni Masters): Sunday, January 31, 2016 at 2pm | MCH; $25

Venue Legend: KH Koerner Hall; MCH Mazzoleni Concert Hall in historic Ihnatowycz Hall; CT Conservatory Theatre

Tickets and subscriptions are available online at www.performance.rcmusic.ca,

by calling 416.408.0208, or in person at the Weston Family Box Office

Become a Royal Subscriber: select any 4-6 concerts and save 10%;

select any 7+ concerts and save 15%; both levels receive special subscriber benefits

A limited number of $10 BMO Rush Tickets are available starting 90 minutes before all performances presented by The Royal Conservatory.

All concerts take place at The Royal Conservatory of Music

TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto

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