Virtually Live: A Singer Must Die

May 6, 2021

This abridged version of our Leonard Cohen tribute from 2018 was created for our Virtually Live series during the Covid lockdowns.

Originally presented over three nights, this tribute featured five Canadian pop icons performing 15 of Cohen’s songs in brand new arrangements, along with 15 Canadian authors (5 each night) delivering their heartfelt tributes.

This performance, the last of the three, took place on February 24, 2018 at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre in Toronto.

1. Madeleine Thien

2. A Singer Must Die
arranged by Gavin Bryars
Steven Page, singer

3. Come Healing
arranged by Rob Carli
Sarah Harmer, singer

4. Boogie Street
arranged by Bryden Baird
Gregory Hoskins, singer

5. Ian Brown

6. Anthem
arranged by Andrew Downing
Sarah Slean, singer

7. Who By Fire
Tom Wilson, singer

8. I’m Your Man
arranged by Kevin Fox
Steven Page, singer

9. Marni Jackson

10. Dress Rehearsal Rag
arranged by Jim McGrath
Sarah Slean, singer

11. Dance Me To The End of Love
arranged by Steven MacKinnon
Sarah Harmer, singer

12. Steven Heighton

13. Treaty
arranged by Andrew Staniland
Gregory Hoskins, singer

14. Closing Time
arranged by Jim McGrath
Tom Wilson, singer

15. Hallelujah
Steven Page & Gregory Hoskins, singers

Andrew Burashko piano, Rob Carli reeds, Sheila Jaffé, Amy Laing cello, Joe Phiilips double bass, Rob Piltch guitar

A Singer Must Die (2018) - Toronto, ON

Virtually Live: To All A Good Night

December 17, 2020

This program was presented during Covid as a greatest hits selection from our annual holiday concerts of the past. The video features singers Jessica Mitchell, Liam Russell, David Wall, Jackie Richardson and Tom Wilson in performances of adventurous arrangements and off-beat seasonal selections, backed by an ensemble of classical, jazz and pop musicians. Highlights included songs by Stephen Colbert & Elvis Costello, John Prine, Steve Earle, The Pogues, Joni Mitchell, Alfred Schnittke, John Lennon & Yoko Ono and more.

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1. Silent Night/Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis, Francis Xavier Gruber/Tom Waits
arranged by Steve MacKinnon
Jackie Richardson & Jessica Mitchell, singers

2. There are Much Worse Things to Believe In, Elvis Costello & Stephen Colbert
David Wall & Liam Russell, singers
Andrew Burashko piano, Andrew Downing bass, Drew Jurecka violin, John Johnson saxophone, Rachel Mercer cello, Douglas Perry viola, Rob Piltch guitar, Stephen Sitarski violin, David di Renzo, Kevin Turcotte trumpet

3. Merry Christmas Baby, Johnny Moore & Lou Baxter
arranged by Jim McGrath
Jackie Richardson, singer
Andy Ballantyne saxophone, Vern Dorge tenor saxophone, Andrew Downing bass, Nick Fraser drums , Phil Gray Trombone, John Johnson woodwinds, Larry Larson trumpet, John MacLeod trumpet, Steve McDade trumpet, Mike Murley tenor saxophone, Christian Overton trombone, Rob Somerville trombone, Tom Szczesniak piano, Kevin Turcotte trumpet, Perry White baritone saxophone 

4. Christmas in Prison, John Prine
Tom Wilson, vocals/guitar

5. Fairytale of New York, Jem Finer & Shane McGowan
arranged by Aaron Davis
Liam Russell & Jessica Mitchell, vocals
Andrew Burashko piano, Andrew Downing bass, John Johnson woodwinds, Drew Jurecka violin, Amy Laing cello, Douglas Perry viola, Rob Piltch guitar, David di Renzo, Stephen Sitarski violin, Kevin Turcotte trumpet

6. Christmas in Washington, Steve Earle
Liam Russell, singer
Justin Abedin guitar, Andrew Downing double bass, Drew Jurecka mandolin, Amy Laing cello, Douglas Perry viola, Stephen Sitarski violin

7. (I’m Spending) Hanukkah in Santa Monica, Tom Lehrer
arranged by Jim McGrath
David Wall, singer
Justin Abedin guitar, Andrew Burashko piano, Andrew Downing bass, Nick Fraser drums , John Johnson woodwinds, Drew Jurecka violin, Amy Laing cello, Douglas Perry viola, Stephen Sitarski violin, Kevin Turcotte trumpet

8. River, Joni Mitchell
arranged by Jonathan Goldsmith
Jessica Mitchell, singer
Andrew Burashko piano, Andrew Downing bass, John Johnson woodwinds, Drew Jurecka violin, Amy Laing cello, Douglas Perry viola, Rob Piltch guitar, David di Renzo, Stephen Sitarski violin, Kevin Turcotte trumpet

9. I Pray on Christmas, Harry Connick Jr.
arranged by Jim McGrath
Jackie Richardson, singer
Andrew Burashko piano, Andrew Downing bass, John Johnson woodwinds, Drew Jurecka violin, Amy Laing cello, Douglas Perry viola, Rob Piltch guitar, David di Renzo, Stephen Sitarski violin, Kevin Turcotte trumpet

10. Singers’ Holiday Greetings

11. Happy Xmas (War is Over), John Lennon & Yoko Ono
arranged by Kevin Fox
Liam Russell & Canadian Children’s Opera Company
Andrew Burashko piano, Andrew Downing double bass, John Johnson woodwinds, Drew Jurecka violin, Amy Laing cello, Douglas Perry viola, Rob Piltch guitar, David di Renzo, Stephen Sitarski violin, Kevin Turcotte trumpet

Virtually Live series directed by Michael Tobin Fiore

To All A Good Night 1 (2015) - Toronto, ON

To All A Good Night 2 (2016) - Toronto, ON

To All A Good Night 3 (2017) - Toronto, ON

To All A Good Night 4 (2018) - Toronto, ON

To All A Good Night 5 (2019) - Toronto, ON

The Boy in the Bubble, directed by Bruce McDonald

November 13, 2020

Shot during the first lockdown of 2020, Paul Simon’s Calling All Angels was one of three videos directed by Bruce McDonald in support of Art of Time’s Ain’t Got Long album.

Boy In The Bubble by Paul Simon
arranged by Jonathan Goldsmith

Gregory Hoskins, singer
Andrew Burashko, piano
Davide Di Renzo, percussion
Bryan Holt, cello
Joseph Phillips, double bass
Rob Piltch, guitar
Stephen Sitarski, violin

Bruce McDonald, director
Jason Webber, cinematographer
Charlie-Yoko, editor
Jeff Wolpert, recording & mixing engineer

Virtually Live: The Poem/The Song

November 6, 2020

Presented as part of the Virtually Live series, The Poem/The Song was a repackaging of our live shows (same title) from 2014 with new commentary from some of the artists involved.

Exploring a variety of intersections between Poetry and Music, The Poem/The Song features among others, Margaret Atwood, Andrew Burashko, Thom Allison, Carla Huhtanen and Gregory Hoskins.

The Virtually Live series was created in the absence of live performances during the lockdowns of 2020/2021. They were directed and edited by Michael Tobin Feore.

The Poem/The Song
Originally performed on November 7th and 8th, 2014 at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre in Toronto, ON.

1. Commentary, Andrew Burashko and Gregory Hoskins

2. History of Western Music, Chapter 29, August Kleinzahler
In Memorium Thom Gunn, after Johnny Mercer
Margaret Atwood, reader

3. I Thought About You, Johnny Mercer & Jimmy Van Heusen
Gregory Hoskins singer, Rob Piltch guitar, Andrew Downing double bass, John Johnson, saxophone

4. Commentary and demonstration, Andrew Burashko

5. Commentary, Carla Huhtanen

6. Apparition, George Crumb
i. The Night In Silence
Carla Huhtanen soprano, Andrew Burashko piano

7. Macavity, Andrew Lloyd Webber
Words by TS Eliot
arranged by Shelly Berger
Thom Allison singer, Andrew Burashko piano, Barry Shiffman violin, Rachel Mercer, cello, Andrew Downing double bass, Rob Piltch guitar, John Johnson saxophone

8. Commentary, Andrew Burashko

9. Thriller Suite, Margaret Atwood
Music by Dan Parr
Margaret Atwood reader, Andrew Burashko piano, Barry Shiffman violin, Rachel Mercer, cello, Andrew Downing double bass, Rob Piltch guitaer, John Johnson saxophone

10. Commentary, Andrew Burashko

11. Three Petrarch Sonnets, Franz Liszt
i. Sonnet XLVII
Andrew Burashko, piano

12. Commentary, Andrew Burashko

13. Commentary, Gregory Hoskins

14. Dress Rehearsal Rag, Leonard Cohen
arranged by Jim McGrath
Gregory Hoskins singer, Andrew Burashko piano, Barry Shiffman violin, Rachel Mercer, cello, Andrew Downing double bass, Rob Piltch guitar, John Johnson saxophone

Kevin Lamotte, lighting designer
Maureen Callaghan, production manager

Photos by John Lauener

The Poem/The Song (2014) - Toronto, ON

Love in Vain, directed by Bruce McDonald

OCTOBER 14, 2020

Shot during the first lockdown of 2020, Robert Johnson’s Love in Vain was one of three videos directed by Bruce McDonald in support of Art of Time’s Ain’t Got Long album.

Love in Vain by Robert Johnson
arranged by Jonathan Goldsmith

Madeleine Peyroux, singer
Andrew Burashko, piano
Bryan Holt, cello
Peter Lutek, bassoon
Joseph Phillips, double bass
Rob Piltch, guitar
Stephen Sitarski, violin

Bruce McDonald, director
Jason Webber, cinematographer
Charlie-Yoko, editor
Jeff Wolpert, recording & mixing engineer

Calling All Angels, directed by Bruce McDonald

September 16, 2020

Shot during the first lockdown of 2020, Jane Siberry’s Calling All Angels was one of three videos directed by Bruce McDonald in support of Art of Time’s Ain’t Got Long album.

Calling All Angels by Jane Siberry
arranged by Jonathan Goldsmith

Gregory Hoskins, singer
Sarah Slean, backing singer
Andrew Burashko, piano
Davide Di Renzo, percussion
Bryan Holt, cello
Sheila Jaffé, violin
Keith Hamm, viola
Larry Larson, trumpet
Peter Lutek, clarinet
Joseph Phillips, double bass
Rob Piltch, guitar
Stephen Sitarski, violin

Bruce McDonald, director
Jason Webber, cinematographer
Charlie-Yoko, editor
Jeff Wolpert, recording & mixing engineer

I'll Never Tear You Apart, directed by Scott Cudmore

October 13, 2008

This video was made in 2008 in support of Art of Time’s album "Black Flowers" album on Pheromone Recordings - our first non-classical commercial recording.

I'll never Tear You Apart by Martin Tielli
arranged by Jonathan Goldsmith

Sarah Slean, singer
Ben Bowman, violin
Andrew Burashko, piano
George Koller, double bass
John Johnson, soprano sax
Rob Piltch, guitar
Shauna Rolston, cello

Scott Cudmore, director
Jonathan Goldsmith, (recording) producer
Walter Sobczak, recording and mixing engineer