When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
And that’s exactly when Calgary-based conductor Janna Sailor discovered the music of 1970s sugary Swedish super troupers, ABBA.
“I remember first discovering ABBA as a young teenager,” recalled Sailor who grew up in rural Saskatchewan. “An elderly neighbour down the street was getting rid of the turntable and records that used to belong to her children, and gave it to me. I had never heard anything like it, as I was raised in a strict household that didn’t allow ‘pop’ music to be played. So, when my parents were out and I was at home alone babysitting my siblings, we would pull out the turntable and turn up the contraband ABBA, Beatles and David Bowie until bedtime. I still remember my little sister and me dancing around to ‘Dancing Queen.’ I think I still know all the words.”
That should come in handy because on Thursday, Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Liuna Station, 360 James St. N., Sailor, along with Martin MacDonald and current National Academy Orchestra apprentice conductor Frédéric-Alexandre Michaud, will lead the NAO and Peter Brennan’s Jeans ’n Classics troupe in the Brott Music Festival’s “ABBA: The Dancing Queen” tribute concert.
When it comes to ABBA, Sailor, MacDonald and Brennan lay all their love on the group.
“What I love about these shows is how I can instantly sense the love the audience has for this music, and everyone seems to have a memory or story associated with at least one of the songs,” said Sailor, founder and artistic director of the all-female Allegra Chamber Orchestra, NAO apprentice conductor in 2015 and NAO violinist in 2014 and 2012.
“It is also really exciting when folks attend that have never seen a live orchestra before. They came for ABBA, but they leave having experienced so much more. The orchestra always takes this music to another level musically and emotionally.”
Ditto for MacDonald, music director of the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, NAO apprentice conductor in 2006, associate conductor for two summers and thereafter a frequent guest conductor at the BMF.
“ABBA is one of those timeless groups that connect globally to a wide range of people,” said MacDonald who toured this show with Symphony New Brunswick in 2019. “You can’t help but hum or sing along to their music. It’s inventive and creative and covers the gamut of emotion and experience. Most importantly, it spans the generations. Both my seven-year-old daughter and my 76-year-old father-in-law love ABBA.”
“What I love about our ABBA show is it’s very much like our other shows,” said Brennan who arranged all of the charts and will be playing guitar alongside keyboardist John Regan, bassist Mitch Tyler, drummer Jeff Christmas, and vocalists Andrea Koziol, Stephanie Martin, Katalin Kiss, and Kathryn Rose. “It’s totally about the music. We’re not four people pretending to be Swedish or anything of that nature.”
At the concert, expect all the big hits such as “Mamma Mia,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Waterloo,” “Fernando,” and others.
“Between ABBA’s music and the great arrangements it will be a really great show,” said Michaud.
No word yet on which conductor will conduct which tune. Rock, paper, scissors, anyone? The winner takes it all?
“I’m sure we will figure it out,” said MacDonald.
Though the podium will be akin to a merry-go-round during the show, the conductors will have the BMF’s late founding artistic director, Boris Brott, in their thoughts.
“Boris loved the Jeans ’n Classics shows, and I know we will be thinking of him throughout the evening,” said Sailor.
Oh, and if you applaud long enough at the end, there’ll be an encore. In case you can’t guess what that might be, here’s a hint: it rhymes with “Prancing Bean.”
That tip is for the lucky people who have tickets, because it was announced Thursday that the event is now sold out.
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre, 440 Locust St., brings back Jazz on the Plaza, free performances outdoors, rain or shine. Saturday, Aug. 13: Amanda Martinez at 4 p.m., Shuffle Demons at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14: Clerel at 2 p.m., Laila Biali at 4 p.m. Bring a folding chair.
From Aug. 16 to 18, the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra holds a special summer intensive at McMaster University which includes coaching from HPO musicians, full orchestra rehearsals under Guelph Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Alex Cannon, an audition-preparation workshop, musician-focused wellness sessions, and a final concert in L.R. Wilson Hall. Program tuition: $225 plus HST. No audition required. Info and registration at hpo.org.
Leonard Turnevicius writes about classical music for The Hamilton Spectator. leonardturnevicius@gmail.com
When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
And that’s exactly when Calgary-based conductor Janna Sailor discovered the music of 1970s sugary Swedish super troupers, ABBA.
“I remember first discovering ABBA as a young teenager,” recalled Sailor who grew up in rural Saskatchewan. “An elderly neighbour down the street was getting rid of the turntable and records that used to belong to her children, and gave it to me. I had never heard anything like it, as I was raised in a strict household that didn’t allow ‘pop’ music to be played. So, when my parents were out and I was at home alone babysitting my siblings, we would pull out the turntable and turn up the contraband ABBA, Beatles and David Bowie until bedtime. I still remember my little sister and me dancing around to ‘Dancing Queen.’ I think I still know all the words.”
That should come in handy because on Thursday, Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Liuna Station, 360 James St. N., Sailor, along with Martin MacDonald and current National Academy Orchestra apprentice conductor Frédéric-Alexandre Michaud, will lead the NAO and Peter Brennan’s Jeans ’n Classics troupe in the Brott Music Festival’s “ABBA: The Dancing Queen” tribute concert.
When it comes to ABBA, Sailor, MacDonald and Brennan lay all their love on the group.
“What I love about these shows is how I can instantly sense the love the audience has for this music, and everyone seems to have a memory or story associated with at least one of the songs,” said Sailor, founder and artistic director of the all-female Allegra Chamber Orchestra, NAO apprentice conductor in 2015 and NAO violinist in 2014 and 2012.
“It is also really exciting when folks attend that have never seen a live orchestra before. They came for ABBA, but they leave having experienced so much more. The orchestra always takes this music to another level musically and emotionally.”
Ditto for MacDonald, music director of the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, NAO apprentice conductor in 2006, associate conductor for two summers and thereafter a frequent guest conductor at the BMF.
“ABBA is one of those timeless groups that connect globally to a wide range of people,” said MacDonald who toured this show with Symphony New Brunswick in 2019. “You can’t help but hum or sing along to their music. It’s inventive and creative and covers the gamut of emotion and experience. Most importantly, it spans the generations. Both my seven-year-old daughter and my 76-year-old father-in-law love ABBA.”
“What I love about our ABBA show is it’s very much like our other shows,” said Brennan who arranged all of the charts and will be playing guitar alongside keyboardist John Regan, bassist Mitch Tyler, drummer Jeff Christmas, and vocalists Andrea Koziol, Stephanie Martin, Katalin Kiss, and Kathryn Rose. “It’s totally about the music. We’re not four people pretending to be Swedish or anything of that nature.”
At the concert, expect all the big hits such as “Mamma Mia,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Waterloo,” “Fernando,” and others.
“Between ABBA’s music and the great arrangements it will be a really great show,” said Michaud.
No word yet on which conductor will conduct which tune. Rock, paper, scissors, anyone? The winner takes it all?
“I’m sure we will figure it out,” said MacDonald.
Though the podium will be akin to a merry-go-round during the show, the conductors will have the BMF’s late founding artistic director, Boris Brott, in their thoughts.
“Boris loved the Jeans ’n Classics shows, and I know we will be thinking of him throughout the evening,” said Sailor.
Oh, and if you applaud long enough at the end, there’ll be an encore. In case you can’t guess what that might be, here’s a hint: it rhymes with “Prancing Bean.”
That tip is for the lucky people who have tickets, because it was announced Thursday that the event is now sold out.
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre, 440 Locust St., brings back Jazz on the Plaza, free performances outdoors, rain or shine. Saturday, Aug. 13: Amanda Martinez at 4 p.m., Shuffle Demons at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14: Clerel at 2 p.m., Laila Biali at 4 p.m. Bring a folding chair.
From Aug. 16 to 18, the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra holds a special summer intensive at McMaster University which includes coaching from HPO musicians, full orchestra rehearsals under Guelph Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Alex Cannon, an audition-preparation workshop, musician-focused wellness sessions, and a final concert in L.R. Wilson Hall. Program tuition: $225 plus HST. No audition required. Info and registration at hpo.org.
Leonard Turnevicius writes about classical music for The Hamilton Spectator. leonardturnevicius@gmail.com
When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
And that’s exactly when Calgary-based conductor Janna Sailor discovered the music of 1970s sugary Swedish super troupers, ABBA.
“I remember first discovering ABBA as a young teenager,” recalled Sailor who grew up in rural Saskatchewan. “An elderly neighbour down the street was getting rid of the turntable and records that used to belong to her children, and gave it to me. I had never heard anything like it, as I was raised in a strict household that didn’t allow ‘pop’ music to be played. So, when my parents were out and I was at home alone babysitting my siblings, we would pull out the turntable and turn up the contraband ABBA, Beatles and David Bowie until bedtime. I still remember my little sister and me dancing around to ‘Dancing Queen.’ I think I still know all the words.”
That should come in handy because on Thursday, Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Liuna Station, 360 James St. N., Sailor, along with Martin MacDonald and current National Academy Orchestra apprentice conductor Frédéric-Alexandre Michaud, will lead the NAO and Peter Brennan’s Jeans ’n Classics troupe in the Brott Music Festival’s “ABBA: The Dancing Queen” tribute concert.
When it comes to ABBA, Sailor, MacDonald and Brennan lay all their love on the group.
“What I love about these shows is how I can instantly sense the love the audience has for this music, and everyone seems to have a memory or story associated with at least one of the songs,” said Sailor, founder and artistic director of the all-female Allegra Chamber Orchestra, NAO apprentice conductor in 2015 and NAO violinist in 2014 and 2012.
“It is also really exciting when folks attend that have never seen a live orchestra before. They came for ABBA, but they leave having experienced so much more. The orchestra always takes this music to another level musically and emotionally.”
Ditto for MacDonald, music director of the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, NAO apprentice conductor in 2006, associate conductor for two summers and thereafter a frequent guest conductor at the BMF.
“ABBA is one of those timeless groups that connect globally to a wide range of people,” said MacDonald who toured this show with Symphony New Brunswick in 2019. “You can’t help but hum or sing along to their music. It’s inventive and creative and covers the gamut of emotion and experience. Most importantly, it spans the generations. Both my seven-year-old daughter and my 76-year-old father-in-law love ABBA.”
“What I love about our ABBA show is it’s very much like our other shows,” said Brennan who arranged all of the charts and will be playing guitar alongside keyboardist John Regan, bassist Mitch Tyler, drummer Jeff Christmas, and vocalists Andrea Koziol, Stephanie Martin, Katalin Kiss, and Kathryn Rose. “It’s totally about the music. We’re not four people pretending to be Swedish or anything of that nature.”
At the concert, expect all the big hits such as “Mamma Mia,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Waterloo,” “Fernando,” and others.
“Between ABBA’s music and the great arrangements it will be a really great show,” said Michaud.
No word yet on which conductor will conduct which tune. Rock, paper, scissors, anyone? The winner takes it all?
“I’m sure we will figure it out,” said MacDonald.
Though the podium will be akin to a merry-go-round during the show, the conductors will have the BMF’s late founding artistic director, Boris Brott, in their thoughts.
“Boris loved the Jeans ’n Classics shows, and I know we will be thinking of him throughout the evening,” said Sailor.
Oh, and if you applaud long enough at the end, there’ll be an encore. In case you can’t guess what that might be, here’s a hint: it rhymes with “Prancing Bean.”
That tip is for the lucky people who have tickets, because it was announced Thursday that the event is now sold out.
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre, 440 Locust St., brings back Jazz on the Plaza, free performances outdoors, rain or shine. Saturday, Aug. 13: Amanda Martinez at 4 p.m., Shuffle Demons at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14: Clerel at 2 p.m., Laila Biali at 4 p.m. Bring a folding chair.
From Aug. 16 to 18, the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra holds a special summer intensive at McMaster University which includes coaching from HPO musicians, full orchestra rehearsals under Guelph Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Alex Cannon, an audition-preparation workshop, musician-focused wellness sessions, and a final concert in L.R. Wilson Hall. Program tuition: $225 plus HST. No audition required. Info and registration at hpo.org.
Leonard Turnevicius writes about classical music for The Hamilton Spectator. leonardturnevicius@gmail.com