Dance to the Abyss: A Musical Preview by Andrew Burashko

Koffler Arts co-presents a free talk with musical interludes by Andrew Burashko, Founder and Artistic Director of the Art of Time Ensemble, in the lead up to the concert Dance to the Abyss on February 23, 24 and 25 at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre, described as follows: “Experience the decadent cabaret and jazz-inspired music that captured the zeitgeist of a culture on a path to catastrophe.”

This program features music celebrated in the 1920s and later dismissed as “degenerate” by the Third Reich, including excerpts from The Threepenny Opera Suite by Kurt Weill and music by Mischa Spoliansky, Erwin Schulhoff, and other artists whose names are largely lost to history. Featured performers include: Martha Burns, John Millard, Patricia O’Callaghan and a stellar Art of Time Ensemble.”

(For tickets, please see this Event: https://kofflerarts.org/Events/Performances/Dance-to-the-Abyss)

During this presentation, Burashko provides background about the musical selections, and gives us a ‘sneak peek’ with recorded music.

Andrew Burashko was born in Moscow into a family of musicians, and began his studies with Marina Geringas at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He went on to study with Lee Kum-Sing in Vancouver, Leon Fleisher and Marek Jablonski in Toronto, and Bella Davidovich in New York. Since making his debut with the Toronto Symphony at the age of 17, he has performed as a soloist and chamber musician extensively throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe. For over twenty years, he was also involved in an important, ongoing collaboration with the dancer Peggy Baker. In 1998, Burashko’s musical dexterity and passion for artistic experimentation led him to create the Art of Time Ensemble, a chamber music collective comprised of the best artists on the Canadian scene. Since then, Art of Time Ensemble has been committed to redefining the experience of music performance and exploring the juxtaposition of high art and popular culture. The ensemble has received wide acclaim for its thoughtful and challenging programming, its brilliant performances, and its ability to reach across the borders that often separate artistic genres and audiences. The list of artists and musicians who have collaborated with Art of Time Ensemble includes the who’s who of the Canadian cultural scene as well as internationally renowned artists such as Branford Marsalis and Madeleine Peyroux. Its list of alumni includes some of the top Canadian soloists, chamber musicians and principal players in major orchestras around the world.