June 24th sees the return, virtually, of Larry Beckwith’s Confluence Concerts.  Let’s Stay Together: A Confluence Salon will air on the Confluence Youtube Channel at 7pm EST with a pre-show Q&A at 6.30pm.   Larry Beckwith, Dylan Bell, Andrew Downing, Gordon Gerrard, Robert Kortgaard, Marion Newman, Patricia O’Callaghan, Suba Sankaran and Bijan Sepanji will perform music by Randy Newman, Ernest Chausson, Edith Piaf, Béla Bartok, Peter Maxwell Davies, Gustav Mahler, Leonard Cohen, Suba Sankaran, The Beatles, Charlie Chaplin and others. In addition, the renowned Canadian author André Alexis will read poems by Anna Akhmatova, Roo Borson and one of his own, Johnson Grass, from his 2019 novel Days by Moonlight.  I’m excited.  Since the series started Confluence has been one of the most interesting and fun gigs in town.  Free!

On the 26th and 27th Valhalla media are trying out paid concerts.  On the 26th at 7.30pm CDT there’s a recital of works by African American composers featuring Will Liverman, baritone, and Paul Sanchez, piano.  Registration is at: https://bit.ly/Valhalla-Liverman-Sanchez.  It’s pay what you can with a suggested USD 14.99 tag.  On the 27th at 8pm CDT there’s Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel streamed live from Chicago’s Studebaker Theatre.  The cast includes Emily Fons and Emily Pogorelc.  It’s the same deal and registration is at https://bit.ly/Valhalla-Hansel-Gretel.

June 28th at 3pm the Amici Ensemble are Celebrating Canada with Mireille Asselin with a programme that ranges from Beethoven (the well known “Moose” trio op.11)  to Leonard Cohen.  Details here.. Free!

On June 29th at 7.30pm it’s the Doras on Youtube followed at 8.30pm by a virtual dance party (ideal for those of us who are virtually incapable of dancing.)  Will Tapestry or Fawn beat out the 800 pound COC gorilla?  Oh the tension… Free!