JLNotes

! ! ! ! !!!!!!!February-March

2014

We are all very busy practicing, preparing for Kiwanis and for the myriad of other festivals and competition, and I must say that everyone is making great efforts! The results of the recent RCM Examination session show just that. I was also delighted to see and hear all of your performances at our annual Students Recitals on February 1 and 2. All of you have made great effort and with all seriousness took the task of public performing. I am very proud of you and hope that all your future performances will be prepared with the same wonderful diligence! I also would like to thank your parents for helping you to fulfill this uneasy task!!!
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The rehearsals of Violin Ensemble preparing for the concert with Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra is progressing very well; all the students are working hard to learn their parts and are tremendously improving their listening skills. Students selected for the violin ensemble are benefiting greatly from the experience. An impeccable intonation, matching tone and welldeveloped listening skills is a must for a participant! I hope all parents, relatives and friends will attend the concert on May 3 and will support their children and also enjoy this unique experience. Congratulations to Julia Mirzoev for winning the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition! This achievement makes her eligible to perform as a soloist with Toronto Symphony Orchestra later this year, and she also follows in the footsteps of Leo Jarmain, who achieved a similar result last year and who performed with the TSO and the wonderful concerto by Max Bruch in October 2013. That is makes 2 students in 2 years to win this very competitive and highly anticipated contest! Everyone: get inspired and keep practicing really hard! As many of you know, especially those with older children, this is the time for University applications being accepted, and I wish all of you the best of luck being accepted into the school of your first choice and also to those of you who are in the process of auditioning for acceptance into a music faculty. Please feel free and do not hesitate to share your thoughts and interesting news or articles for me to publish in the next edition of JLNotes.

News from JVL Summer School for Performing Arts

The preparation for the Cremona 2014 Festival is now in full swing. Our host is now confirming all events. The details of the venues, times and the programs are starting to get into shape. There is even a confirmation for the reception and our meeting with the Mayor of Cremona has arrived! Once the first round of application has been completed on March the 1st, we will commence the process of matching students for chamber music and orchestra programs. Just a reminder that the JVL SSPAs International Festival Music In The Summer 2014 will be held from Saturday July 12th until Saturday, July 26th. The competition will once again run from July 26th to July 28th. The registration for XIIIth season of the JVL Summer School for Performing Arts International Music In The Summer Festival is still open and I look forward to seeing everyone in July 2014!

There are almost 1000 photos and countless videos are being uploaded for you to see and like in the Facebook, so check the site often! Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. Here is the link to our new website:

www.MusicInTheSummer.com
Please do feel free to contact me with any suggestions or concerns that you may have and please dont forget to check the website www.MusicInTheSummer.com often for updates of information. You could also find us on our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/MusicInTheSummer

Point of View
What competition success did for my career by six prize-winners Seasoned competition goer Heather Kurzbauer considers the place of competitions today, and violin laureates discuss how their wins have helped their careers If an artist can make it through three rounds of tension, believing that a single missed dynamic could spell disaster, their debut at Carnegie Hall will be a walk in the park In the 21st century, music competitions are as popular as ever. As new contests spring up around the world, most of the major events report an increase in applications with a record number of countries represented. Many directors maintain strict admission standards, encourage contemporary music, promote new-media access and offer career counselling to winners. That said, the true importance of competitions is still a vexed question, which brings up a multitude of issues. There are those who argue that in the age of YouTube, Facebook and cultural entrepreneurship, competitions are outdated. Certainly a win at a major contest has never been a guarantee of career success first-prize winners frequently fade into oblivion while others ascend to the heights of stardom. Then again, the life of a competition entrant overlaps greatly with that of a performing artist it is a life of discipline, constant analysis and unanswered questions, fraught with setbacks and criticism. If an artist can make it through three rounds of tension and nerves, half-believing that a single missed dynamic could spell disaster, their debut at Carnegie Hall will be a walk in the park thereafter. Should we applaud the fact that major competitions have lowered their age requirements? David Oistrakh was almost 30 when he won the 1937 Ysae Competition (now known as the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition). In 2009 the Joseph Joachim International Competition in Hannover was won by its youngest contestant, 16-year-old Fumiaki Miura. A discussion of whether this is an important factor should be replaced by an open consideration of who the ideal winners are fresh faces to develop over time or mature musicians with a welldefined musical character. But then, contestants report making stylistic decisions not based on their own musical preference, but aimed to please a majority of jury members. If my Bach is stylishly authentic, the old guard will never let me into the next round, a German-trained player lamented at a recent instalment of the Moscow International Oistrakh Competition. Could a 21st-century Paganini, with a quirky genius never before seen in the music world, ever be discovered at a competitive event? For many participants, the most valuable part of the experience is the chance to meet equally committed young players, share personal interpretations, and find a new perspective on the music

community. As in all things, the success is whatever they make of it. AKIKO ONO (pictured) came first in the 2000 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition and third in the Premio Paganini. She now teaches at the Yehudi Menuhin School In Japan, agents are always looking for winners. Coming second in a competition doesnt mean much you have to have a first prize behind you. So I knew that if I wanted to develop my career in Japan, I needed to win at least one competition. My work is now divided mainly into concerts in Japan and teaching in the West. It was a kind of conscious decision to divide my playing career in this way. When I was competing, around 2000, I was up against people who already had agents and recording deals, and had begun their careers as soloists. I was too busy learning pieces and I dont think my focus was to find my own style or identity. Now I value that side much more. But I wasnt hesitant to put new concertos or sonatas at the top of my programmes I didnt play safe, and that gave me a more challenging attitude. I could push myself forwards. During the years when I focused on competitions, I never had a chance to learn chamber music, or go to Marlboro or Prussia Cove. Now I think that theres a danger for musicians to keep going to competitions and not knowing when to finish. If you find yourself kicked out at the second round each time, you have to ask yourself what youre hoping to achieve and then consider other ways to enjoy music and give pleasure to the audience, such as chamber or orchestral work. Also, anyone going in for a competition should be independent as a musician and not too dependent on their teacher. STEFAN MILENKOVICH came second in the 1994 International Music Competition of Indianapolis and third in the 1993 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition among others I went in for ten competitions in about two years. I was 16 when I started going to them and I needed to show that I was ready to perform as an adult artist. I had had a career as a child prodigy (I gave my 1,000th concert at the age of 16 as well) but its a double-edged sword. A lot of people had followed my career already so they knew me and wanted to hear how I sounded, but for me it added to the pressure. Six months before the competitions started, I tripled my practice time and spent eight hours a day practising. Im very competitive: to me, competitions mean training like an athlete and performing like a poet. There is certainly an element of gambling in competitions, where playing it safe might not be the best option. With your preparation you can stack the odds in your favour. It might mean making unexpected musical decisions on the spot you might miss a note or two, but the reward is greater than the risk. That was another aspect of my preparation that was always nurtured and encouraged. When I came fourth at the Hannover competition in 1994, one of the jurors was Dorothy DeLay, who had first spotted me when I was eight. She extended an invitation for me to come either to Aspen or Juilliard, so I came to New York. Now I still live in the US, so that competition has shaped my life to some degree at least. I always want to understand my students motivation for entering. Only a small percentage will invest all their time in it. Most of the others just want something to motivate themselves, but not many are really interested in a big competition with three rounds and a huge programme. ANDREW HAVERON won second prize at the 1996 Premio Paganini among other awards. He is now concertmaster with the UKs Philharmonia Orchestra When I was entering competitions, I viewed them simply as a goal to structure my year around. No one else, especially the British students, seemed interested in that kind of circus I remember the Russians were more open to it. But I knew it was rather removed from the music

world, and I had my eyes firmly set on starting my career. For me, it became almost like a tennis circuit. I would certainly see the same faces from one competition to the next, and I made a few friends who Im still in touch with. I dont think the competitions helped me get anything like a recording deal or an agent I joined the Brodsky Quartet two years after the Paganini, but that was because Id been playing quartets since I was six, not because of my success at competitions. I think anyone who has something individual to say does not generally do well in a competition. Im hugely aware that juries can be torn down the middle, so its very difficult to accept something new. But there are exceptions. I came fourth at the Queen Elisabeth in 1997, when my friend Nikolaj Znaider won. At the time his playing was 75 per cent testosterone and he thoroughly deserved to win. Ive sat on juries since then, and for me, its very like orchestral auditions. The idea that youre sunk as soon as you play a wrong note or miss a piano is probably untrue personally I hope not to be bored! I think a small lapse of concentration is very forgivable, but being a boring player is not. JENNIFER KOH The US-based soloist won joint second prize at the 1994 Tchaikovsky Competition. No first prize was awarded I only entered the Tchaikovsky because I was studying Russian literature at the time, and couldnt pass up the chance to perform Tchaikovsky with a Russian orchestra in Moscow. Ive always been a little ambivalent about music competitions to me, the concept seems a little absurd. I didnt go into it thinking I had to win, and I feel quite fortunate in that I was so young and oblivious to that kind of feeling. The audience at the competition was totally unlike anything Id experienced. People were fervent, passionate and even throwing things at the jury! After my performance, people were coming up to me and crying, weeping, and pulling at my hair. I found it a little overwhelming. They would also speak to me in Russian and assume Id understand it was an incredible lesson in the power of music. I didnt continue developing the qualities you might think a competition winner would need. And I would hope that any student who enters a competition is doing it to grow as a musician, as a healthy challenge to do the repertoire they choose to play. Music is not about competitions its about passion and loving what you do. Theres a certain generation of Russians, Japanese and Koreans who will always remember the competition, as it was televised in all those countries. People often comment on it after a concert of traditional repertoire, but never when I play contemporary music. LAURENT ALBRECHT BREUNINGER came second at the 1997 Queen Elisabeth Competition. He now teaches at the Hochschule fr Musik Karlsruhe, Germany I was 29 when I came second at the Queen Elisabeth. I already had an agent and some recording engagements, but the competition gave me additional possibilities. First of all, the preparation for a competition of that kind is so great that for every major engagement since, Ive known exactly how to deal with the physical and the psychological sides. If you go through the pressure of preparing a huge programme, you have good ammunition for the rest of your career. Secondly, its a kind of stamp on your forehead that stays for as long as you perform. I say this in a positive way Im very happy to have that stamp on my head! Im somewhat critical about the current tendency in competitions to lower the entry age. Oistrakh won the Queen Elisabeth when he was 30, and we all want our styles to mature for as long as possible, so why should we compete so early? Also, there are far more competitions than there were 30 years ago and there are more prizewinners than the market can cope with. Theres a danger in todays competitions, especially if you choose to play Mozart or Bach. The standards are changing so quickly, as we research and discover new things about how those composers music was played, that you dont know whats the correct interpretation. You can lose lots of time searching for the latest knowledge, when in fact well never know how Mozart

would have performed his own work. Maybe its better that we dont know. MIKHAIL BEZVERKHNI won first prize at the 1976 Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition. He is now a soloist, composer and painter In the Soviet era, there was one international agency, one national, one regional, and one for Moscow. To be admitted on to their lists, you had to be a competition laureate, otherwise it was the end of the road for your career. So when I was 20 I decided to start accumulating prizes at international competitions. Certainly, winning first prize meant more and better concerts than coming second. My initial prizes were for chamber music, but my teacher Yuri Yankelevich warned me that if I was branded a chamber musician, I would have no solo career. I practised for the Queen Elisabeth for a year, alone. At that time it was seen as the top competition in the world, with the Tchaikovsky second. After I won, I had to give laureate concerts for a few months throughout Europe, and on my return, I did not get the welcome everyone else would have got after such a victory. I was not permitted to travel outside the Soviet Union. I know that Western agents asked for me at my Soviet agency, and heard I had other engagements, or that I was ill or on holiday all lies. I had major concerts all over the Soviet Union but in the end, the West forgot me. And why not? There will always be new winners. Suppose competitions were banned. Then, promoters, sponsors and the public would be forced to use their ears and make their own judgements. Maybe it would mark a return to the time of Kreisler, when a promoter would take chances with artists, testing them out in front of an audience to gauge the reaction. The Strad

News
European Parliament votes in favour of regulation for instruments on planes The proposal, which would bring uniformity to the sector, must now go before the European Council Monday, 10 February 2014 Musicians are a step closer to being able to travel unimpeded throughout Europe with their instruments following a European Parliament vote in favour of a revision of Air Passenger Rights. The vote, which took place on 5 February, would mean that the air carriers must accept smaller instruments into the passenger cabin and must clearly indicate the terms and conditions for the transport of larger instruments in the cargo hold. The proposal must now go before the European Council. The application is the result of a petition for legislation to clarify rules, launched by the Musicians Union and International Federation of Musicians, and signed by more than 40,000 people. I am delighted that the European Parliament has voted in favour of this proposal, which will make such a difference to working musicians, said MU general secretary and FIM president John Smith. The issue has always been that existing law allows each airline to set their own policy regarding musical instruments, and this proposal would bring much needed uniformity and fairness to the whole sector. Airline cabin luggage restrictions have long plagued string players, as evidenced by the French string quartet, Quatuor Voce, who were requested to remove their instruments from their cases before taking them on board a flight in December. The Strad

Be Aware
House surveys are standard practice, so why not instrument surveys? The case of the disgraced violin dealer Dietmar Machold shows how easily some musicians will part with money on instruments without knowing their worth. Roger Hargrave argues that buyers should insist that dealers provide full condition reports. I would bet all of my rapidly decreasing pension that more than a handful of readers will have purchased an instrument without a suitable survey Most musicians are well-educated people. Unfortunately, a good education does not necessarily protect us from the wicked and unscrupulous ways of our world. I know someone who has a double doctorate, but his qualifications have not made him streetwise. He recently purchased a sensationally beautiful house overlooking the Baltic Sea on the north German coast. The asking price was !250,000, very reasonable for such a stunning property in such a stunning location. The owners were moving abroad and needed to sell the place quickly. Temporarily blinded by the houses beauty, the bargain price and the need to act quickly, he transferred the required funds without engaging a professional surveyor. The subsequent discovery of dry rot in the houses foundations cost him an additional !250,000. I hope no one reading this article would be foolish enough to purchase a house without a suitable survey. But I would bet all of my rapidly decreasing pension pot that more than a handful of readers will have purchased an instrument without a suitable survey. This is not to imply that readers of The Strad and musicians are foolish, but perhaps that normal practice in the violin business is in urgent need of serious modification modification to the point of revolution. The case of Dietmar Machold the latest of several high-profile dealers to face legal action has painted a picture of the rotten underbelly of the violin trade as never before, and there has been much legitimate wailing and gnashing of teeth from both players and collectors. However, if just a few simple precautions had been taken, this anger and anguish need never have arisen. Before laying down their cash, smart customers will usually assess an instrument over a period of days. During this time they may even canvas the opinion of several makers or dealers. They will do this in the belief that they are securing an unbiased second opinion. However, although this may be a valuable exercise, the person or persons being consulted may also have some form of vested interest in the instrument concerned. They may simply wish to destroy the business of a competitor, or they may have some financial stake in the instrument being offered. This may sound somewhat cynical, but violin dealing is an extremely small business and the larger the price tag that an instrument carries, the smaller the circle of dealers becomes. And when the price tag is sufficiently high, it is common practice for a number of independent dealers to be financially linked to the same piece of business. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with such an arrangement. Objects costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars may necessitate the joint ownership of several dealers. Unfortunately, in addition to sharing out the financial burden, such arrangements also decrease the chances of obtaining an unbiased opinion. Those unable to afford a Stradivari would be wrong to

suppose that such arrangements are limited to the markets top end, either. It is also common for smaller businesses to work in this way too. There are many honest dealers and many groups of dealers who openly work together. Im worried about the secretive groups who dont explain their associations. The point here is about transparency. If we must even occasionally assume that a second opinion even one that is paid for may not be as reliable as we might rightfully expect it to be, then some other form of security is clearly required. Unfortunately, for the moment the onus lies with the purchaser, not the seller. The most remarkable thing that I have experienced recently has been the naivety of people who purchase musical instruments. And this applies not only to musicians, but also to international banks and successful business people who would normally check every detail of a business contract, specifically looking for irregularities or any possible deception or fraud. In various violin-related transactions, many of these highly intelligent and worldly-wise tycoons somehow lost their streetwise instinct, bamboozled by the mythology that surrounds classical violins. As a result, they accepted at face value papers that were deliberately ambiguous and quite clearly designed to deceive. Like the house buyer I mentioned earlier, they were temporarily blinded seduced by fantastic stories of Stradivari and Cremona and by talk of healthy profits and bargain prices. With a little insistence, and persistence, such experiences could all have been prevented. The first thing that must be introduced into the world of violin dealing is an accurate description of every instrument being offered for sale, even new ones bought directly from the maker. These descriptions should take the form of a survey, and like a house surveyors report, they must be comprehensive. Such a report should include any relevant details about the maker or makers involved in the instruments production. This may seem pedantic, but changes to a violins originality occur very gradually, and sometimes these changes occur even before the instrument has left the makers shop. Normally we may not think that a replacement soundpost, bridge, pegs or tailpiece would be relevant to an instruments value, but as the recently auctioned Lady Blunt Stradivari confirmed, old instruments with original fittings are undoubtedly more desirable. Indeed, largely because of its original fixtures and fittings, the 1690 Medici tenor viola by Stradivari, which is housed in the Istituto Cherubini in Florence, is now virtually priceless. Even at a lower level, the value of originality is significant. Instruments with an original neck (even if altered) are considered more desirable, and consequently such features are mentioned in sales catalogues. It is therefore fair to assume that each time an original part is lost or replaced, for whatever reason, some of the instruments value is lost with it. This idea of originality may be a difficult concept to understand, but if we make it a simple matter of weight, it becomes easier. Let us say that an original Baroque violin might have weighed 425g as it left the makers shop. Remove all the original fittings, the tailpiece, the original board, the neck and the bass-bar, and you are left with original parts weighing about 250g. But that is not the end of the story. When a neck is replaced, the top block is usually also replaced and some of the top rib is removed (on classical Cremonese instruments the top rib was usually of one piece and passed right across the top block). In addition, the pegholes are often bushed, causing a further reduction of about 25g. Although the violin has by now lost almost half its original weight, this is the absolute minimum that would normally be missing from most old violins. Nevertheless, most violins with only these alterations would be described as being in an excellent state of preservation. Now things begin to get critical. Add some half edging work, a couple of new corners and perhaps two or three new linings, and you are easily under the halfway mark. And all of this without any major repair work. But it can get much worse, because on most instruments many other parts will have been replaced in addition to those I have already listed. Some instruments might even have a replacement head, or areas of patching that cover much of the belly and even parts of the back. I know of several classical instruments where the blocks and linings and occasionally even one or two ribs have been completely replaced. Small pieces of purfling, edgework and corners are often

renewed many times. All these alterations diminish the instruments originality. Unfortunately, even for experts, replacements of this nature can often be extremely difficult to detect with the naked eye. Then there is the issue of damage. Instruments are often advertised as having been fully restored, a description that both the retailer and the purchaser usually see in a positive light. But an instrument that has a single simple crack in the belly is very different from an instrument that has been flattened by a car. And yes, instruments do get flattened by cars, and they are often resurrected by brilliant restorers. Indeed, the restorers art has become so advanced that even quite serious damage can only be detected with the help of expensive modern equipment. Consequently, if the only clue is a statement that the instrument has been fully restored, the instrument may be a confusion of cracks, riddled with woodworm, or as thin as a mayflys wing. But this is still not the end of the matter. We now turn to the vexed question of rich original varnish, that magnificent substance that makes or breaks any instrument, both visually and acoustically. Once again, the mythology of the violin can blind even the most cautious investor. So let me break down what is meant by rich original varnish. Most violins both old and new are highly polished, leading most people to believe this must be a feature of great classical varnishes. Nothing could be further from the truth. Great classical varnishes like those that adorn the Medici tenor viola or the 1664 tenor viola by Andrea Guarneri in the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, are often somewhat matt and can even appear slightly friable. In their original state, such varnishes were probably delicate and soft, and as a result varnish wear is frequently extensive. The famous Kreisler violin by Guarneri del Ges in the Library of Congress is undoubtedly one of the finest surviving examples of the masters work. And yet this instrument has almost no varnish on its edges and only 50 per cent or less on both the back and the head. The belly has lost more than 60 per cent, and possibly considerably more if the varnishs overall original thickness were to be taken into account. And finally, like the belly, the ribs have suffered losses of 60 per cent or more. Altogether, far more than half of the violins beautiful red varnish is missing. If an instrument of this calibre has suffered so much varnish loss, it must be apparent that most old violins have lost much more. Losses of 80 per cent and 90 per cent are normal, and in many instances the losses are even greater. Even with an instrument in front of their eyes, most people underestimate the amount of wear it has suffered. Part of the reason why these huge varnish losses are not always apparent is the effect that even tiny remnants of varnish can create when they are on top of a good ground coat. In addition, varnish loss is often concealed by skilful retouching. In fact, it is not particularly difficult to extend an area of rich original varnish if the ground coat is still intact. What most people see on old instruments, especially classical Italian instruments, is simply old polish and patina mixed with retouching colours, all blended and polished to a high gloss over a good ground a ground that might also contain minute, almost microscopic amounts of genuine rich original varnish. You can achieve a lot with a good ground. The ground is the mirror of the soul of all great varnishes. So what is left? By now, excepting authenticity (a separate but no less challenging issue), it must be clear that the value of any instrument is directly related to its condition. The first problem for the layperson is to know the instruments condition exactly. The second is finding someone who can provide such a comprehensive condition report. Unfortunately, there are very few genuinely independent experts in the world who are willing and able to assess the condition of instruments, and it is highly unlikely that their numbers will increase. The only practical solution is to place the responsibility with the retailer. As with a house or a car, the more comprehensive the description a customer receives from a retailer, the better their chance of invoking the various trades description laws that are in force in most countries. In other words, if I purchase a Stradivari for $6m, I need more than just a receipt that says: One violin by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona dated 17?? Price six million dollars

$6,000,000 Payment received with thanks. Of course, no one would accept such a paper, would they? Well I can assure you that several people have indeed accepted such papers. And they have accepted them with little or no accompanying photographic certificates of authenticity, or any form of survey. Such papers, whether deliberately ambiguous or not, make it extremely difficult to begin any form of litigation. They offer no proof of the instruments identity, nor any proof of condition. Most people who purchase an instrument are happy with a good certificate of authenticity, but these can also pose serious problems. In the first instance they are usually written by the retailer, or by someone commissioned by the retailer. As long as they are scrupulously honest this should not be a problem. Unfortunately, this is also not always the case. My sympathy lies mainly with the musicians who have been cheated. However, if all these people had insisted on a comprehensive survey before they put their money down, things might have been somewhat different. A survey may not have solved all their problems, but it would have eased the route to successful litigation. The minimum that should be demanded for any instrument from any dealer is a printed and signed document that must include some weighty opinion as to the authenticity of the major parts of the instrument; detailed photographs taken from several angles (including inside images if possible); detailed diagrams showing (as clearly as possible) all cracks, patches and replaced pieces; and a report about the overall condition of the varnish, including diagrams showing any areas of significant retouching. More expensive instruments should be accompanied by a dendrochronological survey and ultraviolet photographs. This report should be written and signed by the retailer and should be kept in a secure place well away from the instrument. Ideally the contents of this document should be verified by a third party who should also sign the document. Only by placing the onus on the retailer will the customer ever have a serious chance of success should problems arise. And if retailers deliver a truly comprehensive report, it can also be to their advantage, as they could use it in their own defence. The Strad

Important Dates JVL SPPA and the Cremona International Music Academy
Applications Deadline: March 1, 2014 www.MusicInTheSummer.com

Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra - Russian Showpieces

Ronald Royer, conductor Talisa Blackman, piano (Young Artist), Violin Ensemble of Young Artists Program: Sergey Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 9 Great works for Violin Ensemble and Orchestra including: D. Shostakovich Romance from The Gadfly S. Prokofiev Waltz from War and Peace S. Prokofiev March from The Love for Three Oranges Saturday, May 3, 2013 - 8:00 PM The Salvation Army Scarborough Citadel 2021 Lawrence Avenue East http://spo.ca/

Here are some dates and deadlines for RCM examinations and for festivals and competitions:
RCM Examinations Spring Session Practical Examinations: June 9-28, 2014 Theory Examinations: May 9 and 10, 2014 Registration Deadline: March 4, 2014 http://www.rcmexaminations.org/ Kiwanis Music Festival February 18 March 1, 2014 Registration Deadline: to late! www.kiwanismusictoronto.org/!
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North York Music Festival April 4-28, 2014 Registration Deadline: February 10, 2014 http://www.northyorkmusicfestival.com/2014-festival/ Peel Music Festival March 24 - April 30, 2014 Registration Deadline: to late http://www.peelmusicfestival.ca/Main.aspx Canadian Music Competition Ontario First Round: April 30 May 3, 2014 Ontario Provincial Final: May 5 10, 2014 National Final, Quebec City: June 20 July 3, 2014 Registration Deadline: to late http://www.cmcnational.com/en/ Cremona International Music Competition Cremona, Italy: July 24 26, 2014 Registration Deadline: March 31, 2014 www.MusicInTheSummer.com

Concert Calendar
Here are the details of some Toronto concert organizations websites: Toronto Symphony Orchestra http://tso.ca/Home.aspx!
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Canadian Opera Company http://www.coc.ca/performancesandtickets.aspx National Ballet of Canada http://national.ballet.ca/performances/season1213/

Roy Thomson Hall http://www.roythomson.com/ Royal Conservatory Concerts http://brochure.rc.mu/ Tafel Music Baroque Orchestra http://www.tafelmusik.org/ Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra http://www.spo.ca/

Recommended listening:
Anne-Sophie Mutter performs Brahms's Violin Sonata no.2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2H-5Pd_R_I#t=22

Finale
You can download this edition of JLNotes with direct links to various sites referred above from:
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https://www.facebook.com/MusicInSummer

JVL SUMMER SCHOOL FOR PERFORMING ARTS CREMONA, ITALY

Should you have any comments or suggestions please send me e-mail at: jvl@lakirovich.com or jacoblakrovich@hotmail.com or call on: 905-882-7499, 416-735-7499
www.lakirovich.com www.MusicInTheSummer.com

79 Chagall Drive, Thornhill, Ontario L4J 9B8 Canada