Browse "Arts & Culture"

Alexisonfire. Post-hardcore band, formed in 2001 in St. Catharines, Ontario and originally consisting of vocalist George Pettit, guitarist and vocalist Dallas Green, guitarist Wade MacNeil, bassist Christopher Steele and drummer Jesse Ingelevics. In 2005, Ingelevics was replaced by Jordan Hastings.

Margaret Atwood’s ninth novel, Alias Grace (1996), is a work of historical fiction that centres on the mysterious figure of Grace Marks. She was convicted in 1843 at the age of 16 for the murder of her employer, Thomas Kinnear, a wealthy Scottish Canadian, who was killed along with his housekeeper and mistress, Nancy Montgomery. Alias Grace won the Giller Prize for fiction in 1996. It was also shortlisted for a Governor General’s Award and England’s Booker Prize. In 2017, Sarah Polley adapted Atwood’s novel into a six-part CBC/Netflix miniseries, starring Sarah Gadon as Marks.

Alliance chorale canadienne. Begun in 1961 by Pierre Fréchette, Father Yvon Préfontaine, and François Provencher to bring together choirs in Quebec City and the Beauce region. In 1966 it received a government of Canada charter under the name Alliance chorale canadienne.

Since 1902, the Alliance Française has offered high-level French classes in Canada and developed cultural programming to boost the cultural influence of France and the Francophonie throughout the world. While it once had twenty committees scattered across Canada, today there remain nine, located in large cities outside Quebec. Each year, the Alliance Française receives 12,000 students in Canada and close to half a million worldwide. Its funding comes mainly from enrolment income from the classes it offers. The Alliance Française de Toronto is the largest in the country, with five branches established in the region.

Alouette Vocal Quartet/Quatuor Alouette. Unaccompanied male ensemble whose repertoire consisted entirely of French-Canadian folksongs.

Alternative media provide a range of perspectives and ideas that are not necessarily available in the profit-driven media products and outlets that dominate the Canadian mediascape. They include traditional media forms, such as books, newspapers, magazines, television, radio and film, as well as nontraditional and so-called “new media” forms such as zines and online publications and podcasts. Some definitions also include street theatre, murals, postering and culture jamming.

ConductorsBarron and Zadorsky have led the Youth Singers from their inception; the Boys Choir was led by Carol Beynon (1990 to present), Bevan Keating (1990-2001), and Ken Fleet (2001 to present). All five have shared conducting duties for the Chamber Choir.

Amadeus Ensemble. A string ensemble formed in Toronto in 1984, the Amadeus Ensemble gave its first subscription concert 27 Jan 1985. Its original principal players were Moshe Hammer and Fujiko Imajishi, violins; Douglas Perry, viola; Peter Schenkman, cello; and Joel Quarrington, double bass.

Three string quartets bearing the name Amati have been based in Canada. Two separate Amati string quartets have performed on 17th-century instruments built by the Amati family of Italy, and owned by the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. A third unrelated Amati String Quartet was based in Ontario, primarily Toronto, from 1985 to 2000.

Amici's first concert was held at Toronto's Harbourfront in 1985. Three years later, the group initiated a successful three-concert season held at St. Andrew's Church. In 1989, it relocated to Walter Hall at the University of Toronto, and was appointed the music faculty's Trio-in-Residence.

Amity Singers. Mixed 25-voice choir begun in 1960 as the Varsity Singers of the University of Victoria under conductor Rodney R.A. Webster. Graduating members decided to continue the group ca 1963 under the name Amity Singers.

​Analekta is a Canadian independent record label specializing in classical music. It was founded in 1988 by Montréal impresario François Mario Labbé.

Andrew Qappik, CM, RCA, Inuk graphic artist and printmaker (born 25 February 1964 in Nunataq, in what is now known as Nunavut). Qappik helped design the Nunavut flag and coat of arms, as well as the logo for the Government of Nunavut. In 2017, he was appointed to the Order of Canada “for his contributions to defining the visual culture of Nunavut as a master printmaker and sculptor.” He is based in Panniqtuuq (Pangnirtung), Nunavut.

Newfoundland is particularly rich in the ancient supernatural ballads that are rare elsewhere in North America.

The folk music of Newfoundland reflects a rich cultural heritage from the British Isles, nurtured in the New World into a unique tradition.