Soundstreams to Present EAR CANDY: ELECTRIC MESSIAH 3 at The Drake Underground

Soundstreams presents Ear Candy: Electric Messiah 3. Rapidly becoming a Toronto holiday tradition, Electric Messiah 3 runs December 4, 5 and 6 at The Drake Underground.

"Electric Messiah re-imagines G. F. Handel's great masterpiece with sparkling inspirations from jazz, gospel, blues, hip hop and of course, classical," said Lawrence Cherney, Soundstreams Artistic Director. "Audiences recognize familiar themes, though it's certainly not as Handel would have heard it. Nevertheless, George Frederic would have loved our use of popular genres and contemporary instruments, and our audiences do too!"

Electric Messiah 3 takes Handel's masterpiece apart, stripping it down to its essence and putting it back together in an electro-improv version that delights and surprises audiences. The hand picked Electric Messiah ensemble featuring four singers, accompanied by guitar, synthesizer, electric harpsichord, electric organ and turntables, explores a selection of the work's most popular movements through the lens of their own unique styles and cultural backgrounds.

This year's ensemble features all new vocalists including: CBC Music "Classical Musicians Under 30" pick soprano, Adanya Dunn, eclectic jazz singer-songwriter, Elizabeth Shepherd, Dora-award winning tenor Jonathan MacArthur and west-coast baritone Justin Welsh. Turntable artist DJ SlowPitchSound returns reprising his mix magic and call and response repartee to the other performers.

Staged in the intimate, cabaret-style underground of Toronto's iconic Drake Hotel, in collaboration with dramaturg Ashlie Corcoran (The Ugly One, Tarragon Theatre and Theatre Smash, The Gay Heritage Project, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre) and music director Adam Scime (Musik für das Ende, Soundstreams and New Music Concerts), Electric Messiah is an interactive experience that will never be the same twice.

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IF YOU GO:

ELECTRIC MESSIAH
December 4, 5 and 6, 2017 at 8:00 pm
The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen Street West
Featuring:

Adanya Dunn, vocals, Elizabeth Shepherd, vocals, Jonathan MacArthur, vocals Justin Welsh, vocals, Adam Scime, music director, electronics John Gzowski, guitar, Christopher Bagan, analog and electric harpsichord, Jeff McLeod, electric organ, SlowPitchSound, resident DJ, and Lybido, dancer,

Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door ($60 if you buy all 3 Ear Candy concerts together). Tickets are available at soundstreams.ca.

Make a night of it: Audience members receive a 15% discount on dining (food only), at the Drake before the show.

Upcoming EAR CANDY:

When: February 18, 2018

Who: Almost Unplugged, featuring: Trailblazing Canadian violinists Andréa Tyniec and Jesse Zubot

Where: Buddies in Bad Times Cabaret, 12 Alexander Street
Soundstreams also offers a Main Stage Concert Series, as well as Salon 21, a free performance and discussion series.

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A world leader among contemporary music companies, Soundstreams is the foremost global presenter of new Canadian music. Lawrence Cherney, Artistic Director and Ben Dietschi, Executive Director are committed to showcasing the work of living and international composers with a focus on innovative thematic and experiential programming. Soundstreams also serves a broad community of music lovers through free outreach and educational programs. They include Salon 21, a free monthly discovery series featuring performances, discussions, and audience

participation; the Emerging Composer Workshop, helping talented contemporary composers worldwide launch their careers; SoundWave provides accessible tickets to young adults; and SoundMakers provides interactive learning experiences online and in the classroom.