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What began as a small group of female musicians who wanted to provide themselves and others with performance opportunities has grown into much more. Founded in 1898, the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto (WMCT) is an organization dedicated to supporting emerging and established artists in Toronto, as well as producing concerts for local audiences. The first concert of their 126th season invited the Fauré Quartett to take the stage at the University of Toronto’s Walter Hall. The quartet performed works by Beethoven, Max Reger, and Gabriel Fauré.
This second half of the season leaves audiences with much to look forward to. Beginning in March, their Music in the Afternoon series will feature clarinetist Dominic Desautels, alongside pianist Jean-Philippe Sylvestre and bassoonist Zsofia Stefan. Desautels is at home in front of Toronto audiences; not only is he the principal clarinetist at the Canadian Opera Company, but he is an instructor at both The Glenn Gould School and the University of Toronto. Previously, he has appeared as a soloist and ensemble member with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia de Lanaudière, the Orchestre de la francophonie, and Symphony Nova Scotia, to name a few. The trio will play works by Brahms, Burgmüller, Schumann, and Glinka (March 7).
Shortly after, Canadian pianist Francine Kay will take to the stage with a program of great variety. She pairs Dvořák’s 2 Humoresques Op. 101 with Debussy’s 2 Préludes, alongside works by Josef Suk, Vítěslava Kaprálová, Valentin Silvestrov, and Frédéric Chopin (April 4). Many of the selections she’s programmed for this concert appear on her recently released album, Things Lived and Dreamt. Kay’s relationship with the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto began many years ago, when she was named the first winner of the WMCT’s Career Development Award. Since its establishment, the award has been presented every three years to a Canadian musician embarking on a professional performance career. In addition to a $25,000 prize, winners are invited to present a concert with the WMCT.
The 126th season will end with a bang May 2, when soprano Joyce El-Khoury takes to the stage to present a recital that was originally scheduled for 2021. El-Khoury and pianist Serouj Kradjian will perform repertoire by Bizet, Fauré, Chausson, Ravel, and Saint-Saëns, paired with Lebanese songs sung in Arabic. The contrast of these works aims to tell the story of El-Khoury’s own journey from Lebanon to Canada, and the history of her birthplace under French colonial rule. This programming aligns itself with a broader mission for El-Khoury, to act as a “cultural advocate” for Lebanon. To this end, she has also taught masterclasses at the Al Bustan Festival, created the Lessons for Lebanon teaching initiative, and mentors young Lebanese singers.
For more on the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto: www.wmct.on.ca
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