Click here for a list of last season's concerts.

This season's Heliconian Club concerts open to the General Public: / Sep / Oct / Nov / Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun /

September 2007
  • Sunday, September 23, 2007 Trio: Rita Greer, clarinet, Lillian Sit, Soprano, Andrei Streliaev, Piano
October 2007
  • Sunday, October 21, 2007 Opera Celebration: Favorites by Mozart, Offenbach, Puccini & More; Wendy Dobson and guest artists
  • Friday, October 26, 2007 Women--Wild and Wonderful! featuring Barbara Fris, soprano, Laura Newland, storyteller and Jane Blackstone, piano
November 2007 December 2007 January 2008

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008 May 2008
  • Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 8pm -- Janet Catherine Dea, soprano in concert
  • Thursday, May 8th, 2008 8pm -- Peggy Mahon concert "A Song for You"
  • Wednesday, May 14, 2008 7:30 p.m -- Christina Petrowska-Quilico in concert
  • Thursday, May 15th, 2008 8pm -- Diana McIntosh Concert -- 4 Premieres

Musical Events at the Heliconian Club

Performing in Heliconian Hall
Imagine a small European concert stage in an art gallery setting right here in the heart of Toronto. Heliconian Hall is such a place. Equipped with a well maintained Steinway grand piano, Heliconian Hall allows performances to reach the highest standards.

Heliconian members and their guests perform solo piano and lieder recitals, opera and Broadway programmes, chamber and choir music, all in the perfect setting of this intimate hall. In addition to the ad hoc concerts which individual members organize for themselves and their guests, the club has a series of annual specialized concert events.

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Specialized Concert Events

Music and Poetry Concert
Traditionally this has been the first concert of the season, featuring poetry readings interspersed with chamber music. The concert honours a Heliconian member or members who have made outstanding contributions to the club.

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Mary Rezza Memorial Student Recital
Former Heliconian Mary Rezza (1930-2000) started the tradition of this annual concert in which the talented students of teaching members of the Music Section are given the opportunity to perform.

There will be two Mary Rezza Memorial Student Recitals this season.

Sunday, Nov. 18th, 2007 3:00 pm

Sunday, Apr. 13th, 2008 3:00 pm

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Young Artist Student Recital
A young female artist who is on the verge of a professional career is presented in concert on the stage of Heliconian Hall.

On Saturday, January 19th 2008 at 8pm the Heliconian Club will present its Young Artist Concert featuring Soprano Deanne Hendriks, student of Music Section member Donna Sherman

Deanne Hendriks, will perform works by Haydn, Handel, Dowland, Purcell, Milhaud, Rodrigo and others. Her accompanist will be Jennifer Tung, pianist.

Tickets: $20, $15 Seniors & Students to reserve, please call (416) 964-6398

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Christmas Dinner Celebration Programme
The annual Heliconian Christmas dinner is a gala event when members don their most festive holiday garb and enjoy a traditional dinner and seasonal entertainment in words and music. The dinner is for members only.

Sunday, December 2nd A Celtic Christmas (members reserve by Nov. 16th $40)

Christmas Luncheon Programme
This is a special Christmas luncheon to which each member may bring one guest. The Music Section provides seasonal entertainment.

Tuesday December 18th 12-1pm (reserve)

Spring Luncheon Programme
The Music Section provides entertainment.

Themed Dinner and Music Evenings
Past events have included evenings celebrating St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, Robbie Burns Day etc. These programmes are gala fundraisers for the club and include a dinner and musical programme.

Tuesday, March 18th 2008 at 6:30pm St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

WEARING (AND RAISING) THE GREEN

This evening will be dinner-theatre style, and all net proceeds will go to the Heliconian Centennial Scholarship Fund.

The Art Section is arranging the festivities with entertainment coming from members of the Music Section. Guests are welcome; reservations are required by noon Thursday, March 13.

Price is $50.

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Other Heliconian Concert Events

Members' Concerts:

Sunday September 23, 2007 at 3:00 pm

Trio: Rita Greer, clarinet, Lillian Sit, Soprano, Andrei Streliaev,
Piano Songs for Trio by Spohr, Arnold Cooke and others. Wagner, Wesendock Lieder, Barber, Three Songs; Schumann, Novelette in F#-; Brahms, Sonata in F- for clarinet and piano; and more

$20 adults, $15 Students, Seniors and Heliconian members,
Children 12 and under, free

Tickets and information (416) 760-9180

Meet the Artists - Reception to follow

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Sunday October 21st 3:30 pm

Opera Celebration: Opera Favorites by Mozart, Offenbach, Puccini & More
Featuring Wendy Dobson, Soprano, Sarah Hallyburton, Soprano, Lenard Whiting, Tenor, Douglas Tranquanda, Baritone, Brahm Goldhamer, piano

Tickets $25/$20 students & seniors (available at the door)

416 466-3449 for more information

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Oct 26, 2007 8:00 pm

Women, Wild & Wonderful! with Barbara Fris, soprano, Laura Newland, story-teller & Jane Blackstone, piano

Soprano Barbara Fris returns to grace the stage of Heliconian Hall for an
unprecedented eleventh recital, along with award-winning story-teller Laura
Newland and Toronto pianist Jane Blackstone.

Following her debut in 1984 with the Calgary Opera, the Canadian soprano has
had a luminous career, captivating audiences with her evocative portrayals of
opera heroines, her concert performances and recitals -- always to critical and
audience acclaim. Her personal charisma and voice continue to endear her to
audiences.

Miss Fris will sing familiar opera arias for soprano voice, including Cilea's "Io sono l’umile ancella" (Adriana Lecouvreur), Dvorák's "Mesicku Na Nebi Hlubokem" (Rusalka's Song to the Moon) and Gounod's Jewel Song (Faust). Miss Newland, known throughout Canada for her storytelling, will weave tales of intrigue and folklore throughout the song recital.

Net proceeds will benefit the Toronto Heliconian Club's "Centennial Scholarship Fund".

The recital will take place on Friday, Oct 26, 2007 8:00 PM at Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Avenue (Yorkville).Advance tickets ($25 & $20) go on sale
Mon Sep 10, 2007. For more information, contact the Box Office at (647) 241-
3043 or e-mail at: lanbar@rogers.com Tickets may be purchased on-line at http://www.barbarafris.com/

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Saturday, November 10, 8pm Jana Skarecky Concert

To celebrate her 50th birthday, Jana Skarecky is presenting a concert of her own compositions at Heliconian Hall Saturday, November 10, at 8 p.m. The featured work is a preview of voice and piano excerpts from her one woman opera about Emily Carr sung by Ramona Carmelly with a libretto by Canadian poet Di Brandt. Some of Jana’s paintings will be on display as she is a member of both the Art and Music sections. Tickets are $15 and $10.


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Community Outreach. As part of it's mission, The Heliconian Club sponsors a number of arts events which support the greater artistic community.

Sunday, January 13th The Christina and Louis Quillico 2008 Singing Competition

Pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico established the Christina and Louis Quilico Fund to honour the memory of her late husband, renowned baritone Louis Quilico. The Christina and Louis Quilico Award recognizes outstanding young singers, pianists, and composers for voice. The Ontario Arts Foundation manages the selection process.

As part of it's outreach mandate, The Heliconian Club is pleased to host the competition in Heliconian Hall.

For more information on the competition go to The Ontario Arts Foundation.

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Wednesday, January 23 Hyun Tak Lee, pianist, in recital

The Heliconian Club, as one of its community outreach endeavours, is opening the Hall to a young piano virtuoso, HyunTak (David) Lee, for a concert Wednesday, January 23, 8 p.m. His appearance in is seen as a prelude to his debut in the Glenn Gould Studio in 2009.

After a Walter Hall debut in 2004, HyunTak Lee entered the University of Toronto Faculty of Music on a full scholarship to study with Marietta Orlov.

He will be performing works by J.S. Bach, Beethove, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Scarlatti.

Jane Blackstone and a number of other Heliconians are sponsoring this outreach concert.

Tickets: $25 Group Sales/Senior/Student $20

For tickets and information call (416) 781-2009 or email: lanbar@rogers.com

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Saturday, April 12th, 2008-- Ardeleana Trio in Concert

Heliconian club member Brenda Muller, Artistic Director of the chamber ensemble trio 'Ardeleana' www.ardeleanamusic.com and the 'Blue Bridge Festival' (In the villages of Sutton and Jackson's Point, on the shores of Lake Simcoe; one hour north of Toronto) www.bluebridgefestival.com announces Ardelana's next concert.

Ardeleana Trio in Concert
Saturday, April 12, 2008
8 PM
Tickets: $20, adults; $15, students and seniors.
Toronto Heliconian Club
35 Hazelton Ave.
Toronto, ON

Featuring works by Mary Gardiner, Jean Françaix, Hector Villa Lobos, and Bohuslav Martinu this concert of contemporary art music will be a rare opportunity to hear just the Ardeleana trio in concert. Don't miss it!

Tickets will be available at the door. To reserve tickets, email your request to info@ardeleanamusic.com

/ press release /

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Sunday, April 20th, 2008, 3pm -- Joan Rowland Piano Concert

tickets $20 / $15 (sr-st)

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8:00 Saturday, May 3rd 2008

Muzent Productions
presents
Moonlight and Love Songs:
Music by Bellini, Debussy, Joseph Marx and Stefano Donaudy

Featuring Janet Catherine Dea (soprano)
Tomoko Okada (piano)

8:00 Saturday, May 3rd 2008 at
Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto
Tickets: $30 / $25 (st/sr)
Advance Tickets may be purchased on-line at
http://www.muzent.com
tel: (416) 571-4154 or info@muzent.com

Toronto, ON – February 15, 2008 -- Muzent Productions continues its vocal music series in the intimate setting of Heliconian Hall with Moonlight and Love Songs: Music by Bellini, Debussy, Joseph Marx and Stefano Donaudy, with Canadian soprano, Janet Catherine Dea, and Munich-based pianist, Tomoko Okada, in her Toronto recital debut. Janet Catherine Dea continues to delight audiences both here and abroad with her luscious voice and sparkling stage presence. Tomoko Okada, originally from Japan, studied at the famous Vienna Music Academy, and for many years was on the musical staff at the Frankfurt Opera and the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. Currently she is a freelance vocal coach and accompanist traveling frequently to Hamburg, Berlin, London (UK), Toronto and New York working with established international vocal artists and nurturing the next generation of aspiring opera singers.

The programme opens with the haunting Casta Diva from Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece, Norma; followed by contrasting groups by two musical impressionists, from France, Claude Debussy and the Austrian, Joseph Marx. The programme is rounded out by a charming group of Neapolitan-like Italian songs by Stefano Donaudy.

/ Full Press Release / www.janetcatherinedea.com /

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Thursday, May 8th, 2008 -- "JAZZ IN HELICONIAN HALL"

Peggy Mahon
presents
"A Song for You"

Thursday, May 8 at 8pm Jazz Vocalist and Actor Peggy Mahon our newest Music Section Member will present her "A Song for You" at Heliconian Hall on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 8:00 PM.. This is a benefit concert for “Interval House”.

Tickets are $30.00.
Call 416-698-2163 for more information and tickets.

Interval House provides a continuum of services that enable abused women and children to have access to safe shelter and responsive services that help them establish lives free from violence. You can find them at http://www.intervalhouse.on.ca

On July 14, 2008, Peggy will also be presenting this show in the Neptune Theatre in Halifax to raise funds for the Nova Scotia Talent Trust and to establish a memorial scholarship for Mary Dee Girroir, founder of the Armdale Chorus, a female choir of about 25 members. Several former and present Heliconians were members of the Armdale Chorus, listed in the Canadian Encyclopedia of Music at: The Canadian Encyclopedia of Music

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May 14, 2008

PIANIST CHRISTINA PETROWSKA QUILICO PLAYS A FEW
OF HER FAVORITE INGS AT LAUNCH PARTY FOR HER 20TH CD

Pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico, one of Canada’s foremost interpreters of 20th and 21st century music, launches her 20th recording, Ings, with a mini-concert and reception on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 7:30 p.m. at Yorkville’s Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. (north of Scollard Street; Bay St. subway), Toronto.

Tickets, $10, will be available at the door, or may be reserved by phoning the Heliconian Club at (416) 922-3618. For more information, visit www.petrowskaquilico.com.

Released on the Welspringe label, Ings is a two-CD compilation of live performances recorded by and broadcast on CBC Radio during the last few years. Selections, mainly by Canadian and American composers – along with Messiaen and Boulez from France, England’s Gavin Bryars, and Japan’s Toru Takemitsu and Masamitsu Takahashi – range from the spiritual and sacred to blues, boogies and jazz– from Alexina Louie’s Star-filled Night to a swinging Suite by William Westcott. Produced by David Jaeger, whose Quivi Sospiri is also featured, the CD is named for the title track, 6 Ings by American composer Henry Cowell (1897-1965). The Ings, composed in 1917, are evocative musical portrayals of Floating, Frisking, Fleeting, Scooting, Wafting and Seething.

/ more info - press release /

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Thursday, May 15th, 2008 8pm -- Diana McIntosh Concert -- 4 Premieres

Wonder Worlds of McIntosh

music written and performed by
theatrical musician/composer

Diana McIntosh

with musicians/friends

Parmela Attariwala, violin/viola
and
Beverley Johnston, percussion

Four premieres:

Aunt Kate ~ Opening Windows ~ Imaginings ~ Prodigies of the Nose*
also
Moments Ago
(*commissioned by the CBC)

8:00 PM ~ Thursday ~ May 15 ~ 2008
Heliconian Hall ~ Toronto
35 Hazelton Avenue

Tickets - $20.00 at the door

Music from this concert will be broadcast on CBC’s The Signal
on Sunday, September 14 with host Pat Carrabre.

/ Diana McIntosh Bio / www.dianamcintosh.com /

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