Millennium's Debut Concert: A Mixed Bag of Promise and Confusion

Strategic Insights -

The Toronto-based collective Millennium, led by violinist Scott St. John, made its debut on Sunday afternoon at the CBC's Glenn Gould Studio, showcasing a diverse program of "classic chamber music for the 21st century." The concert, featuring a quartet of musicians, including St. John, Sharon Kam, Jamie Parker, and Tom Wiebe, demonstrated the group's potential and talent, but also exposed some challenges and confusion about their artistic vision.

Key Takeaways:

  • The concert featured a mix of modern and classical pieces, including Richard Mascall's quartet "Illumination" and Bela Bartok's "Contrasts" for violin, clarinet, and piano, which received a standout performance by Sharon Kam.
  • The ensemble's performance was marked by a persistent muddiness in the mid-to-bass range, which was attributed to the acoustics of the Glenn Gould Studio rather than the playing itself.
  • Scott St. John, the group's leader, expressed a desire to program "chamber music for the 21st century," but his comments about modern music composers, including Schoenberg and Webern, revealed a lack of understanding and a cartoonish view of music theory.
  • The group's inaugural concert series continues with shows scheduled for February 20 and March 6 at the Glenn Gould Studio.

Statistics:

  • The Millennium collective consists of approximately 24 musicians, most of whom are under the age of 30.
  • The group's debut concert featured four performers from its long roster.
  • The median age of the performers on stage was 24 years old, with the youngest being Scott St. John.
  • The program included three modern pieces, including "Illumination" by Richard Mascall and "Contrasts" by Bela Bartok, which received a performance time of 20 minutes.

Sources:

  • Robert Everett-Green, "MILLENNIUM", Toronto Millennium is a group of some two dozen musicians, most of them under 30, mustered by violinist Scott St. John to perform "classic chamber music for the 21st century."
  • CBC's Glenn Gould Studio, where Millennium's inaugural concert took place.