Ambur Braid masterclass

So it’s April Fools Day in Walter Hall and Ambur Braid is scheduled to give a masterclass to UoT Opera students.  Were they having us on?  I was doubly suspicious having just finished the really annoying Guardian April Fool crossword.  But, no, it was real; though frankly funnier than most April Fool pranks.  You can check it out for yourself because it’s all up on Youtube.

Since you can check it out for yourselves I’lljust make a few observations:

  • The six students taking part; Christian Matta, Camille Labonté, Frank Yu,Teresa Tucci, Cameron Mazzei and Katherine Kirkpatrick, plus pianist Helen Becqué, all really entered into the spirit of the thing which meant giving as much of themselves as Ambur gave; which is saying a lot.  Good for them!

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Barbara Hannigan masterclass

Barbara Hannigan gave a masterclass for four students last night at Mazzoleni Hall.  I’ve been to quite a few masterclasses and it’s the second one of Hannigan’s that I have sat in on.  Like everything else she does her teaching style is unique, fascinating, incredibly illuminating and, at the same time, slightly terrifying.  Part of me wants to review like an “event” and part of me wants to be very subjective and impressionistic.  I think I’m going to do a bit of both.

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