Personal news over closed-circuit television network at the Expo '67 in Montreal, QC. Photo credit - Innel, Reg (1967) from the Toronto Star Archives at the Toronto Public Library

Session: Sunday, April 19, 2020

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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]

La contredanse de Louis “Pitou” Boudreault

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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 …

Shows four young women: an illeann piper, a whistle player and two young dancers from Cork, Ireland, in the 1800s.

Session: Sunday, February 16, 2020

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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

Happy new year: Wishing you a happy new year banner, over top of a horseshoe.

Session: Sunday, January 19, 2020

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Happy new year to you all. We are delighted to welcome you all to the regular session this Sunday, but we would like to inform you of some changes for this weekend only. This weekend, the new, non-profit Speak Music Be Kind Canadian music festival is taking over the Tranzac. They have kindly agreed to let us hold the session anyway, but have asked us to stop by when we arrive and tell them we are playing in the session. They will give us a wristband (the festival is a paid event). Check out the line-up on their website. The Read More …

A digitised Christmas card from the Osborne Collection.

Session: Sunday, December 15

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It’s the last session of the decade, folks! Be there, or be square: Tranzac Club, just after noon until just before 3pm. It’s the last session of the decade, folks! Be there, or be square: Tranzac Club, just after noon until just before 3pm. Some upcoming things you might enjoy: Anne Lederman’s Amico’s session this Thursday (tomorrow) from 7-10 pm (RSVP to Anne, please) Trazac Seasonal Celebration (it’s a blast, there’s even a Mummers’ play!) at the Tranzac on Sunday, September 22. 7pm. By donation. All proceeds go to charity. December 28, there is a contra dance at St. Barnabas Read More …

Session: Sunday, November 17, 2019

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It seems early in the month but yes, indeed, the session is THIS Sunday! See you there, from just after noon to just before 3pm. WARNING: Santa Claus Parade will be in effect. Take evasive maneuvers. The easiest way is to arrive early, maybe grab a coffee at the Future Bakery or any other establishment on the south side of Bloor. If that window of opportunity closes, you can take the TTC to Spadina station and take the streetcar to the first stop south of Bloor, walking west to Brunswick along that street, turning north to the Tranzac. Driving is Read More …

An engraving of Summer, depicted as a young woman surrounded by fruits and other seasonal bounty.

Session: Sunday, June 16, 2019

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So, as you know, we have been having our regular session but forgetting to blog about them this year. We are still alive! Lack of blog or email notification does not mean there are no sessions! You can always trust the Tranzac calendar of events or our TOQueTrad calendar page to tell you which Sunday to come to play tunes. We are continually grateful to the Tranzac for hosting our session since the beginning of 2012. To show our appreciation, we ask for a token donation to the Tranzac Club (recommended: $3.00 or so). The sessions start just after noon Read More …