Critical Mass

Episode 11: Michael Vincent, Paula Citron, and Holly Harris talk to composer, educator and curator Haralabos (Harry) Stafylakis about his career, prog-metal, New Amsterdam Records, re-connecting with his Greek roots, and more.

To learn more aboutHarry Stafylakis' amazing work, visit his website.

Canadian stage director Joel Ivany joins the podcast this week to chat about producing opera experiences that resonate with our current lives.

Paula, Holly and Michael return after a long summer off to catch up and chat about the new concert season now underway. We ponder why the crowds look a little different this year, plus a new threat of recession on the horizon.

This month on the podcast Paula, Holly and Michael talk with Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra music director Daniel Raiskin about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Big questions are considered, such as whether it is appropriate to ask artists to clarify their politics. Daniel also shares his complex emotions about his home country and the importance of standing up for those who would have their voices eliminated.

Today we have a bit of a different podcast than we normally do. Guest Arthur Kaptainis joins Paula, Holly and Michael to talk about the tragic passing of renowned Canadian conductor Boris Brott, whose life was taken away in a hit-and-run.

Composer Ana Sokolović joins Paula, Holly and Michael to talk about her move to Canada, the importance of play in music-making, life as a composer, and much more.

Holly Harris recovers a series of personal letters shared between her father, Neil Harris,and Stephen Sondheim over two decades ago. Paula, Holly and Micheal go through the letters, and try and make sense of what’s written on these pages. We find out where they came from, what’s in them, and why they are so important.

Paula, Holly, and Michael have a heated discussion about artists that have had their careers ruined after accusations of wrongdoing. Citing examples by artists Liam Scarlett, Charles Dutoit, James Levine, Placido Domingo, and even Wagner, they soon discover how fraught the path to redemption is. It all ends with them feeling grateful for a return to in-person concerts, lamenting printed concert programs, and doing what Canadians do best – complaining about the weather.

In this episode, Paula, Holly, and Michael meet the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s conductor Gustavo Gimeno. We chat about his background, his life’s journey moving from a percussionist to a conductor, the road to the TSO, the rise of the international conductor.

In this episode, Paula, Holly, and Michael dive into a few scenarios for the launch of a second pandemic arts season. They start off talking about programming, hybrid shows, and the trend towards smaller productions. Paula pulls out some stats on what the big arts presenters are doing this year. They then transition into how audiences have been changed by COVID-19, and cite some interesting facts about coughing at concerts.