Toronto Region’s final reading of the season is a read-through of Haydn’s “Paukenmessen”. He composed this mass at Eisenstadt in August 1796, at the time of Austria’s general mobilisation for war. In fact, Haydn called his composition, “Mass in a Time of War.” Reflecting the troubled mood of his time, Haydn integrated references to battles in the Benedictus and the Agnus Dei movements.
Dr. Mark Ramsay will conduct this work. He is Coordinator of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music Education at Western University. He is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the award-winning Exultate Chamber Singers. As a writer and researcher, Mark’s work has been published in Choral Canada, American Choral Directors Association, Canadian Music Educators Association, and the Kodaly Society of Canada.