Traditional Québécois music in Toronto (on the 3rd Sunday of the month)
A reminder that this weekend’s session will happen via Zoom on Sunday, November 15, from noon to 3 pm. Lead a tune, request a tune, or just come and listen. If you would like to join us, contact toquetrad@gmail.com for the link to the session and feel free to share! Sign up for the mailing list (at right) to get these posts emailed to you. See you all soon. Rob and Donna
We are happy to announce that the October ToQueTrad traditional quebecois music session is on and will happen at: Time: noon – 3PM Eastern time.Date: Sunday, October 18th Format: while the pandemic continues to blanket the land, we will come to you over your electronic tubes (Zoom session). Please send an email to toquetrad@gmail.com for the Zoom link if you wish join us. Come one, come all. We welcome learners and accomplished players alike. Quebecois music: the best way to stay warm on a chilly autumn day!
Again with the late notice! Summer is here in full force, and a bit of relief is certainly called for. To take your mind off the heat and the plague, there is a ToQueTrad online session tomorrow (Sunday, July 19, 2020) at noon. We will be using the same Zoom format we have used in the past. Contact toquetrad@gmail.com for the link to the session and feel free to share! That being said, there is a lot going on this week and we want to be sure that, in your excitement to attend our session, you don’t miss out on Read More …
Our last session in April was our first test of remote session online. We are happy to report it was not a complete failure! As such,we are happy to report that we will try this great musical and social experiment again on Sunday, May 17th, with another TOQueTrad session from the comfort of your own home! Again, the session will be an online session. We’ll be doing a Zoom conference where we can each lead a tune or set, and all others can play along. As all but the leader are muted during the tune, each participant will hear themselves Read More …
Today’s tune-to-learn has two segments, which I will be calling «L’homme à deux femmes (I)» and «L’homme à deux femmes (II)». I have recorded them for you, both at once in the at-speed version and then separately in the slower-so-you-can-hear-what-I’m-doing versions. This traditional tune is named after the dance figure of the same name, which Donna ensures me is also called “the wheelbarrow (la brouette)” as well, and not some sort of tawdry love-triangle. Video 1: «L’homme à deux femmes (I)» and «L’homme à deux femmes (II)» – at speed Video 2: «L’homme à deux femmes (I)» – slow Video Read More …
Welcome back for the second in the Coronavirus series of instructional tunes here at ToqueTrad. This second tune comes from the great Métis fiddler and composer, Andy Dejarlis (1914 – 1975). He calls it “Lucky Trapper’s Reel”(in G) but on it’s trip to Québec, it got shifted to the key of D (Re), added a couple of beats, and renamed “Manitou cassé”. The version recorded here is from Pascal Gemme. Manitou cassée (at speed) Manitou cassée (slow) A transcription of how I generally play the tune. As always, let us know in the comments if there are any tunes you Read More …
Has it been a month already? Our last session in March was the last time I left the house for anything other than shopping for food or to walk the dog. When would we see each other again? Well, the answer is, “This coming Sunday!” Join the T.O.QueTrad session from the comfort of your own home! How? We will have an online session. We’ll be doing a Zoom conference where we can each lead a tune or set, and all others can play along. As all but the leader are muted during the tune, each participant will hear themselves and Read More …
![Tune transcription for the tune [La contredanse de Louis "Pitou" Boudreault]](http://toquetrad.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LaContredanseDeLouisPitouBoudreault-200x200.png)
Welcome to the first of the Coronavirus series of tune instructions here at ToqueTrad. We decided to pick some tunes that we loved, but weren’t necessarily the most played and were deserving of some instruction opportunities. The first on our list is a tune from the Repertoire of Louis “Pitou” Boudreault, from Chicoutimi in the Saguenay region of Quebec. Below we will embed two videos; one at speed and one slowed down a little bit and with double stops removed for your learning pleasure. Use the Youtube video speed option to slow down even more. In the slow version, our Read More …
There will be a session this coming Sunday, same time (noon – 3PM), same place (Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto). Different tunes, though!
To confirm: there IS a session this Sunday afternoon at the Tranzac Club (292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto) from just after noon until 2:45 pm. Rob and Donna will not be leading the session, however, because they are attending a family gathering. A reminder that the Chris Langan weekend is the first weekend in March (March 6-8), also at the Tranzac. And that Anne’s French-Canadian jam at Amico’s is the 27th of February. Do have a lovely session, and see you all in March (if not before). Rob and Donna