January Lineup Revealed at The Royal Conservatory Of Music

21C Music Festival - five days of newly-minted music during which audiences have an opportunity to experience fresh new sounds and ideas from the greatest musical minds of today - moves from May to January with the sixth edition of the festival. From January 16 to 20, this edition will celebrate the American minimalist composer Terry Riley, with his music being performed in three of the concerts, including one that he will headline, titled Terry Riley: Live at 85! Additionally, more than a half of the works presented during the festival will be receiving premieres - 6 world, 1 North American, 10 Canadian, 4 Ontario, and 1 Toronto, by 10 Canadian composers.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra makes its festival debut on the opening night of the 21C Music Festival on January 16 with two world premieres: a piano concerto by Stewart Goodyear, titled "Ur-", and a composition by the TSO's new Affiliate Composer, Emilie LeBel, titled They do not shimmer like the dry grasses on the hills, or the leaves on the trees, and conducted by the newly appointed Resident Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rivard. Canadian conductor Tania Miller leads the rest of the program, which includes the Canadian premiere of a string orchestra version of Terry Riley's Half-Wolf Dances Mad in Moonlight and three Ontario premieres by Canadian composers: Dorothy Chang's "North Star" and Dinuk Wijeratne's "First Winter" (both from True North: Symphonic Ballet), and Jocelyn Morlock's Nostalgia.

On January 17, the audience will have an opportunity to experience pianist and composer Stewart Goodyear like never before. This performance will include Goodyear singing and playing variations on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," as well as his original piano sonata and "Acabris! Acabras! Acabram!," as well as a collection of songs that he has composed for himself and a band.

Terry Riley: Live at 85! on January 18 will be an intricate and often improvisational concert with elements of minimalism, jazz, ragtime, and north Indian raga, consisting of an all Terry Riley program. Riley was influenced by John Cage and John Coltrane and his works, such as In C and A Rainbow in Curved Air, have inspired virtually every contemporary classical and many rock composers since, including Peter Townshend, Lou Reed, and Radiohead. The first part of the evening features Tracy Silverman on electric violin playing excerpts from The Palmian Chord Ryddle and Sri Camel, both arranged by Silverman. Terry Riley and his son, Gyan, join forces for the second part of the evening, which will include Riley's Mongolian Winds, Ebony Horns, Emerald Runner, The Bull Song From the Old Country, and selections from Salome Dances for Peace.

Continuum, committed to presenting and promoting contemporary chamber music through unique and compelling programming for more than 30 years, returns to the 21C Music Festival on the 21C AfterHours concert on January 18. This late-night concert features Wesley Shen, one of Canada's extraordinary pianists/harpsichordists, and Continuum's internationally-renowned ensemble. The program consists of two Continuum commissions: Cassandra Miller's Overture and Linda Smith's Sarabande; two Canadian premieres: Carolyn Chen's Ache Bind Blind Break and Kati Agócs's Immutable Dreams, a world premiere of Monica Pearce's toile de jouy, and Unsuk Chin's 3 Études.

2018-19 Rebanks Fellows of The Glenn Gould School play at the annual 21C Cinq à Sept concert on January 19. Nikki Joshi performs Vinko Globokar's Corporel for body percussion, and violinists Katya Poplyansky and Danny Koo are soloists in Arvo Pärt's Tabula Rasa for two violins, string orchestra, and prepared piano. The rest of the program will consist of a Toronto premiere of Lou Harrison's Varied Trio and the Canadian premiere of a string orchestra version Terry Riley's G Song.

With innovative multi-genre original productions, sensational interpretations of modern classics, and an "exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam," (The New Yorker), So Percussion has redefined the scope and role of the modern percussion ensemble, placing it at the leading edge of 21st century music. Their Koerner Hall return on January 19, titled Amid the Noise, consists of four pieces, all of which will be receiving their Canadian premieres: jazz pianist and MacArthur "Genius" prize winner Vijay Iyer's TORQUE; Pulitzer Prize winner and member of the vocal ensemble Room Full of Teeth, Caroline Shaw's Taxidermy; Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy's Broken Unison, and So Percussion's own Jason Treuting's amid the noise.

4D is the title of the Glenn Gould School New Music Ensemble's concert on the afternoon of January 20, which is also part of the Conservatory's Sunday Interludes concert series. The program includes a world premiere, titled Icefolding, by Anna Höstman, commissioned by The Royal Conservatory, for large ensemble. The evening opens with Misato Mochizuki's Halai for three theatrical voices and is followed by the North American premiere of her 4D for nine instruments, the Canadian premiere of Toshio Hosokawa's Garten Lieder for large ensemble, and the Ontario premiere of Zosha Di Castri's Phonotopographie for 15 instruments.

Another partner from a previous edition of 21C, Esprit Orchestra, closes the festival with Constellations on January 20. Christopher Goddard's beguiling world premiere, Les tringles des sistres tintaient, re-imagines the spellbinding gypsy song that opens act two of Bizet's Carmen with its fluidity, exoticism, and perpetual forward energy. Virtuosic saxophonist Wallace Halladay reveals the extent of Japanese visiting guest composer Toshio Hosokawa's exquisite creativity in Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra (Canadian premiere). The program also features Alison Yun-Fei Jiang's River Memory and Claude Vivier's Orion, perhaps the most vivid expression of the composer's musical state of eternal homecoming. Music Director and conductor Alex Pauk leads the Esprit Orchestra.

Trailblazers

A new series for the 10th anniversary concert season brings Canadian trailblazers, each with a unique voice and perspective. The series continues with We Shall Overcome, A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. featuring Damien Sneed and Toronto Mass Choir on January 13. Inspired by the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., We Shall Overcome ties together a living lineage of music and culture that includes traditional gospel, modern gospel, classical, jazz, Broadway, and spirituals. Five astounding singers and a quartet of musicians led by music director Damien Sneed bring together songs from Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, and Donny Hathaway, as well as traditional spirituals, with excerpts from Dr. King's recorded speeches 50 years after his death - evoking the inspirations, struggles, and triumphs of civil rights activists and defenders.

Classical Concerts

Violinist Nicola Benedetti has captivated audiences and critics alike. The Times stated, "it was thrilling to hear and watch Nicola Benedetti in a truly risk-taking performance that lived so much in the body and fused the sinews of the violin and the nerve-system of the player." This sums up Benedetti's ability to communicate and enthrall audiences with dynamic and energy-filled performances. Born in Scotland of Italian heritage, she was awarded the Queen's Medal for Music in 2017, the youngest ever recipient, and was appointed as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the 2013 New Year Honours. On January 25, she and her longtime collaborator, Alexei Grynyuk, will perform works by Bach, Prokofiev, and Strauss, and Benedetti will give the Canadian premiere of a new solo violin piece by Wynton Marsalis, written specially for her, titled Fiddle Dance Suite for Solo Violin.

Songmasters

Winter - a common theme, a shared experience, a season where poets and composers find creativity and expression - will be explored with Winter Words on January 27. Mezzo-soprano Lucia Cervoni, whose "impressive palette of mezzo colours" (whatsonstage) joins Canadian tenor Michael Colvin, whom Opera News calls "one of the most beautiful lyric tenors," for works by Britten, Mahler, and others.

Discovery Series

The Glenn Gould School Concerto Competition Finals on January 30 is a unique opportunity to hear the talented performers of The Glenn Gould School compete for the opportunity to perform a concerto with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra during the 2019-20 concert season.

The Royal Conservatory's 2018-19 concert season is made possible through the generous support of:

Season Sponsor: BMO Financial Group

Season Media Sponsor: Toronto Star

Major & Series Sponsors and Supporters: Invesco, RBC Foundation, TD Bank Group, TELUS, The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, a gift in memory of Robert Calvin, J. Hans Kluge, Michael & Sonja Koerner, a gift in honour of R.S. Williams & Sons Company Ltd., Rebanks Family, Dorothy Cohen Shoichet, and an anonymous donor

Performance Sponsors and Supporters: Alexanian Flooring, The Kenneth G. Mills Foundation, Next Pathway Inc., Power Corporation of Canada, Tom's Place, Tricon Capital GP Inc., Worldwide Quest, Renette & David Berman, The Cheng Family Fund, Nance Gelber & Dan Bjarnason, Ihnatowycz Family Foundation, Sir Jack Lyons Charitable Trust, a gift in memory of Gary Miles, Brayton Polka, Deborah Leibow & Ken Snider, and four anonymous donors

Performance Media Sponsors: Classical 96.3 FM, Jazz.FM91, NOW, The WholeNote, Musicworks

Wine & Beverage Sponsors: Coca-Cola, Cave Spring Cellars, McManis Family Vineyards, Mill Street Brewery

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

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